The National Consumer Associations Union of Morocco has submitted a memorandum to the new government, outlining key priorities for protecting purchasing power and enhancing consumer rights. The union's initiative comes amid rising living costs and increasing prices of essential goods and services. It emphasizes the need for a comprehensive and sustainable policy to address these challenges. The memorandum proposes measures such as establishing a national observatory for prices and promoting transparency in the market.
The union's memorandum highlights the pressing issues faced by Moroccan consumers, including rising costs of living, product quality, and price transparency. It also emphasizes the need for effective competition and fairness in the market. The union has proposed the creation of a national observatory for prices, which would track prices of essential goods and services, monitor regional disparities, and analyze price trends throughout the production and distribution chain.
One of the key proposals in the memorandum is the establishment of proactive mechanisms to monitor price trends and intervene when unjustified price hikes occur. The union also calls for evaluating the effectiveness of measures taken to support households and ensuring they reach the targeted groups. Furthermore, the union recommends strengthening market monitoring, combating monopolies and speculative practices, and promoting transparency in distribution and marketing.
In the energy sector, the union has emphasized the need for greater transparency, given the direct impact of fuel prices on the economy and consumer prices. The union proposes publishing data on the components of the final price, import costs, storage and distribution costs, and profit margins of various stakeholders. This would enable consumers and the public to understand price trends.
The union also stresses the importance of activating and strengthening consumer protection laws, including Law 31.08. This involves enhancing market monitoring, accelerating the completion of the complementary legal framework, and improving the processing of consumer complaints. The union also advocates for promoting consumer education and awareness, enabling citizens to make informed consumption decisions.
The National Consumer Associations Union has also emphasized the need to protect consumers in key sectors such as healthcare, education, transportation, and communications. It calls for ensuring quality, transparency, and fair prices, as well as effective complaint-handling mechanisms and redress. The union also advocates for strengthening the protection of personal data and promoting digital literacy.
The union's memorandum concludes by emphasizing that protecting purchasing power and consumer rights requires a comprehensive and sustainable policy that prioritizes transparency, competition, and fairness. The union calls for a collaborative approach, involving consumers, associations, and government institutions, to promote a fair and transparent market that serves the interests of all stakeholders.
Key points
- The National Consumer Associations Union proposes establishing a national observatory for prices to monitor and analyze price trends.
- The union calls for strengthening market monitoring and combating monopolies and speculative practices.
- The union emphasizes the need for greater transparency in the energy sector, particularly in fuel pricing.
