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Qatar’s Ministry of Environment is imposing strict new regulations for the import and sale of alcohol-based perfumes.
The new directive will be enforced by April this year, with all laboratories in the country that import perfumes required to produce a mandatory certificate to show there is no alcoholic content.
A warning “for external use only” will be printed on the product in both Arabic and English. The aim of the new regulation is to prevent misuse and any potential health hazards.
In December 2011, Qatar banned the sale of alcohol on its flagship Pearl Development, resulting in a huge slump in revenues for retailers.
Earlier this month, UK celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay hit out at the ban, which led to the closing of his restaurant at the development, and said he does not see the legislation “lasting much longer”, it was reported.
Ramsay closed down his Maze Doha restaurant in March 2012 after just two years of operation, while many restaurateurs operating on the Pearl-Qatar development said they had seen revenues decline by as much as 50 percent in the six months immediately after the alcohol ban was introduced in December 2011.
“I think the legislation in terms of operating restraints - going out for dinner and not being allowed to have a glass of wine - I think it’s one turn-off for any local,” he was quoted as saying by Doha News, while on a visit to the city to open two new restaurants at the St Regis Hotel.
“We had to make sensible commercial decisions - you’re not going to run that restaurant and look stupid and lose thousands on a weekly basis.”
Contrary to all their claims of massive sales I get the feeling they need this money to pay their staff salaries. What sense does it make to restrict... more
Tuesday, 18 June 2013 7:44 PM - peter peterGood boy! Very Good boy! Nice poodle! more
Tuesday, 18 June 2013 1:16 PM - Dildo DagginsSpot On Bobby more
Tuesday, 18 June 2013 4:21 PM - AliIt's typical and pretty sad that people here only blame the Saudis. What these people seem to forget is that Indian institutions and contractors are the... more
Monday, 17 June 2013 9:06 AM - narendramodi
@anguilla: Kalba town is part of the Sharjah Emirate.
along with khor fakkan and dibba al hisn.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharjah_%28emirate... more
I am wondering why this article is being published here? it is really useless. anyway, I in certain ways agree with the Mufti. god bless Saudi Arabia more
Tuesday, 18 June 2013 9:27 AM - Faisal@ Henry, enough of whining, the host country does not need you, it is your employer that needs your services and you know well enough that you can be made... more
Saturday, 1 June 2013 11:32 AM - ZainOrganizations like HRW, Green peace, ILO, UNHCR are so self serving that it is amazing they still exist! they spend 60/70 percent of their budgets (meant... more
Thursday, 30 May 2013 7:53 PM - NavinIf one wants to visit or live in Bahrain one must abide by the laws. Living without pork is no huge sacrifice. Muslim and Jewish nations subscribe to this... more
Saturday, 25 May 2013 6:05 PM - Jeffrey Kershaw
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