The Consumer Defense Unit submitted an annual report on the main complaints received from users During the past year. He service sector was the one that had the greatest claims and within that segment stood out travel agencies and operators. There were also in the food sector, the financial services and in footwear and clothing.
The dependency of Ministry of Economy (MEF) reported that a total of 18,231 cases were attended to during 2021 with a year-on-year drop of 5.5%. In 2021 there had been 19,298, also with a decrease compared to a year ago when they reached 22,419. The report explained that the total drop in cases occurred because as of 2020, the office stopped responding to inquiries and claims related to communications that are the responsibility of the Communications Services Regulatory Unit (Ursec) as well as energy and running water services derived from the Regulatory Unit for Energy and Water Services (Ursea).
Consumer Defense Unit
The last five years of consumer complaints
He pointed out that the cases dealt with include the sum of inquiries, claims and complaints regarding consumption, managed in the offices of the Consumer Defense Unit and in Consumer Service offices of the departmental governments in the interior of the country that make up the system.
Within the services sector, in 2022 the most claimed topic related to travel agencies and operators remained. The most frequent complaints were about non-compliance in the provision of the service. Income from claims to the unit was 4,663
The second place was occupied by inquiries and complaints related to financial services were about loans, debts, interest calculations, moratoriums, fines and other expenses with 2,707.
In the products category, women’s footwear and clothing stood out with complaints for non-delivery of the item with 2,373.
Health also had claims, particularly in the area of escort services regarding contracts, terminations or modifications. In the list made by the report were also communications (in cell phones about breach of warranty) and in energy (in electricity about undue or abusive charging).
In a greater breakdown (and with fewer cases), the MEF agency published other specific claims by consumer sectors. In the case of food, there were complaints about alteration of smell, taste and appearanceincorrect packaging, expiration dateslabeling irregularities or misleading advertising.
There was also about prices (highlighting, lack of price in the product), hygiene in the sales establishment and presence of foreign objects.
In the automobile segment, there were cases of breach of warrantylack of components and spare parts, lack of information and unfulfilled budgets.
in the field of white line of household appliances (refrigerator, stove, oven, microwave, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer and stove) there was improper or abusive charging, lack of components or spare parts, product under warranty with more than two service entries, misleading advertising or lack of information.
