Summary:
The law (in Spanish, "Estatuto del Consumidor") seeks to protect and promote the rights of consumers in Colombia.
Description:
The Statute on Consumer Rights (“Estatuto del Consumidor”) is directly relevant to the scope of FULL for the following reasons:
- Its objectives include protecting consumers from risks to their health and safety. It contains provisiones regarding special protection for children and adolescents (Article 1);
- It recalls the right to receive complete, truthful, transparent, timely, verifiable, understandable, accurate, and suitable information. In addition, states the freedom of consumers to receive protection against deceptive and abusive advertising (Article 3);
- It provides a definition on advertising, as well as deceptive and abusive advertising (Article 5);
- It foresees that products that may be harmful to health must indicate its correct use and its harmfulness. The indication must be in perfectly legible characters, either on their labels, containers or packaging or in an annex that is included within them (Article 25);
- It imposes binding obligations on advertisers, requiring them to adhere to the terms presented in their ads (Article 29) and strictly prohibiting misleading advertising (Article 30). It holds advertisers accountable for any damages caused by such ads, and media outlets may also be liable in cases of gross negligence or fraud. For products harmful to health, clear warnings about risks are mandatory, the government has the powers to regulate such advertising (Article 31);
- It outlines specific actions consumers can take when their rights are violated through deceptive and abusive advertising (Articles 56, 58 and 59).