The entities that make up the National Integrated Consumer Protection System intensified their education, orientation and dissemination activities during the past year, specified the Annual Report on the state of consumer protection in Peru-2021, prepared by the National Institute of Defense of Competition and Protection of Intellectual Property (Indecopi).

The entity indicated that the document summarizes the monitoring of the main actions carried out during 2021 by the various member agents of the system, in the context of their respective powers and autonomy.

Likewise, he explained, it is an important input for strengthening the various actions deployed in the field of consumer protection and the evaluation tool of the actions carried out within the guidelines of the current National Policy for Consumer Protection and Defense.

Context

The report indicated that the actions of the various entities that make up the consumer protection system were influenced by the effects derived from covid-19, the easing of sanitary measures and the progress of the vaccination process.

This situation had an impact on a reconfiguration of the market, both at the level of consumer habits and the way providers and entities proceed in terms of consumer protection, he stressed.

In this context, he said, there was evidence of a massive participation of the entities in activities of education, guidance and dissemination, purely preventive.

In 2021, the education activities benefited 286,000 agents (consumers and providers), while the coverage of the orientation activities was 1,797,352 attentions, it revealed.

In the case of dissemination, he highlighted a greater development of tools aimed at agents by the various entities, among which Facilito de Hidrocarburos (19.4 million accesses), Reporta IMEI (5.5 million accesses) and Reporte de Deudas SBS ( 1.4 million views).

conflicts

On the other hand, the occurrence of consumer conflicts in the sectors registered a growing behavior in 2021. The claims resolved in the companies under the scope of the regulators (electricity, telecommunications, water and sanitation; and transport infrastructure) showed diverse results. .

Telecommunications companies exceeded 1.6 million (15.4% higher); those of energy and gas were located at 279,475 (higher by 21.2%); and sanitation, in terms of claims filed, fell 19.3% to 467,353. In companies related to transportation infrastructure, claims grew by 11.6% to 8,265.

On the other hand, the claims resolved in companies of the financial, insurance and AFP sectors increased 2.6% to close to 3.2 million; while the claims concluded in Indecopi increased by 19.4% to 112,560.

Conclusion 

In the form of a conclusion of the conflicts, the report reveals the performance of the companies in the first instance (which corresponds to what was resolved by the operator).

Thus, three out of every ten claims resolved by telecommunications companies ended in favor of the consumer (31.5%), while two out of every ten claims resolved in energy and gas companies ended in favor of the consumer (18.2%).

In addition, three out of every ten claims resolved in transportation infrastructure companies ended in favor of the consumer (32.2%). Likewise, 56.7% of the total claims resolved by firms in the financial, insurance and AFP sectors ended in favor of the consumer.

On the other hand, in 91% of the claims presented before Indecopi and that went through the conciliation and mediation phase, a solution was reached.

Regarding alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, he highlighted the progress reported by the Pilot Consumer Arbitration Board attached to Indecopi, which showed a growth in requests (92.5%), reaching 2,814.

Meanwhile, the private conflict resolution mechanisms reported 5,918 resolved claims, highlighting the shorter terms of Alóbanco and Aló Seguros compared to those of administrative procedures that are processed in the State.

Training

In 2021, he highlighted the continuous implementation of more than 2,220 training activities from various entities. The main issue addressed was related to the rights of consumers in the provision of services, highlighted the report.

For its part, the National Council for Consumer Protection held 14 sessions, of which 10 were ordinary and four extraordinary (with which it accumulated 124 ordinary sessions and 12 extraordinary between 2011 and 2021).

In the performance of his duties, he highlighted the approval of the Annual Report on the State of Consumer Protection 2020; and the presentation of the fourth deliverable of the adaptation of the National Consumer Protection and Defense Policy to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers (PCM).

The council also participated in 17 work groups at the national level with other public entities, providers and society to identify problems that affect consumers in the education, financial, telecommunications and sanitation sectors, as well as at the regional level. In addition, he participated in 55 working groups on consumer protection.

Source: El Peruano

For more information contact:

Mario Pinatte  | CPB Partner | mpinatte@cpb-abogados.com.pe