The Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards (SLBS) has taken steps to ensure compliance to minimum requirements for safety of products consumed in Saint Lucia is maintained.

The SLBS has noticed an increase in the number of applications for label assessments for the introduction of new product lines and wishes to inform new local producers and the consuming public of the existence of compulsory Saint Lucia National Standards to which compliance is mandatory.

Effective, 14^th May 2020 all mandatory standards are available in a read only format on the SLBS website to ensure public access to the information. All sections of a compulsory standard must be adhered to and non-compliance will lead to market withdrawals or seizures and penalties as per the Standards Act & Standards Regulations.

The public is reminded that as per  Section 32 of the Standards Act:

 A person who—

(a)   sells, offers for sale or supplies to another person any goods, service, process or practice for which a compulsory standard is declared and which does not conform to that standard;

(b)     labels, packages or advertises goods or services, process or practice otherwise than in compliance with a compulsory standard; …

is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $10,000 and to an additional penalty of

$1,000 for every day on which the offence continues or to imprisonment for 6 months.

As part of the Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, SLBS as a member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) along with ASTM and IEC have made a suite of international standards available to the public, suppliers and manufacturers.

For further information contact Head of Department Communications  Mrs. Vernet Fontenelle at 720-8756 or v.fontenelle@slbs.org