Tukes market surveillance sample acquisition principles

 

When conducting market surveillance, Tukes will purchase products from shops, online stores, etc.

Tukes will have the products tested in testing laboratories or conduct an in-house product assessment with regard to the compliance of the product or material. It is not always necessary for Tukes to purchase the actual product; a compliance assessment can be carried out based on a document or an image.

Acquiring samples

Normally, Tukes will acquire one sample of a product for compliance control.
The number of samples required depends on the following factors:

 

• the properties of the product or material under assessment
• the special characteristics of the sector, since the targets of surveillance may be anything from boilers in a power plant, rock material, nail varnish, jewellery or soft toys.

Tukes may ask testing laboratories to advise on the number of samples required for a reliable assessment.

Tests conducted on the products

Tukes will not conduct comprehensive compliance tests on the products. The compliance of a product will be assessed in relation to the requirements set out in certain legislation rather than all appropriate legislation. Tukes will target the testing on the properties it suspects will not conform to the requirements.