رئيس جهاز حماية المستهلك: تلقينا 188 ألف شكوى خلال عام 2024

During the year 2024, the Consumer Protection Agency paid great attention to the file of controlling markets and commodity prices, as one of the important files of the agency, in light of the keenness of the political leadership and its interest in controlling markets, especially with the presence of some economic changes and government measures such as stability in the foreign exchange rate, which cast a shadow. On basic commodities, there will be declines, which requires intensifying oversight efforts to control markets and ensure that basic goods continue to be available to citizens at appropriate prices, and within the framework of Assignments issued by the Prime Minister regarding the need to pay attention to the file of controlling markets, commodity prices and their availability in the markets, and the subsequent decisions of the organization regarding the seven strategic commodities, in addition to enhancing competitiveness in a way that guarantees the citizen’s right to abundance and increasing the supply of basic commodities at appropriate prices, in addition to paying attention to complaints. Consumers coming to the device and working to remove the causes of complaints as quickly as possible.

The head of the agency indicated that during the year 2024, and in implementation of the mandates issued in this regard, the agency intensified its efforts aimed at controlling markets and commodity prices, through the agency’s field presence in various markets, in addition to coordination with the governors, to conduct field tours within each governorate to ensure the availability of… Basic goods and making them available at appropriate prices to ensure that goods are not withheld from citizens, which enhances transparency and competitiveness.

The head of the agency added to the interest in the consumer complaints system, as one of the axes of the agency’s work, which has become a tangible development in reducing the response time to citizens’ complaints, which was reflected in raising the completion rate of citizens’ complaints with a completion rate of 94.8%.
Pointing to the launch of the consumer protection application in coordination with the “Cabinet Information Center”, within the framework of the mandates issued by the Prime Minister regarding the necessity of digital transformation and the launch of the application to facilitate citizens in submitting complaints and reports, which contributes to controlling the markets.
During the current and future phase, the Consumer Protection Agency aims to work according to a strategic plan with specific goals, visions and mechanisms in line with the directives of the political leadership and Egypt’s Vision 2030, by achieving the agency’s vision to reach a balanced relationship between the consumer and the merchant and achieve the highest levels of quality across several axes, namely (awareness / protection / control). / Civil society).

Second: “The system for controlling markets and commodity prices”:
The Consumer Protection Agency has paid great attention to the issue of controlling markets and prices, within the framework of the directives of the Prime Minister, and the subsequent decisions of the organization regarding the seven strategic commodities, as well as enhancing competitiveness, in a way that guarantees the citizen’s right to abundance and increased supply of basic commodities at reasonable prices. .
Within this framework, Mr. Ibrahim Al-Sijini, Head of the Consumer Protection Agency, coordinated with the governors in the governorates of (Cairo – Giza – Gharbia – Alexandria – Ismailia – Port Said – Beni Suef – Beheira), in order to conduct field tours to control the markets and prices of food commodities, and ensure The continued availability of basic goods to citizens at fair, competitive prices, as well as preventing any unregulated negative practices in the markets that affect the rights of consumers, as well as dealing decisively with Any violations, in accordance with the law, and any type of transgression or violation will be dealt with within the framework of the law.
Regarding the agency’s efforts in the market oversight file:
The Consumer Protection Agency and its regional branches in various governorates of the Republic have carried out many oversight campaigns to control the markets and prevent any negative, uncontrolled practices, through (the General Administration for Market Control – the General Department of Investigation) in partnership with (the Agency’s branches in the governorates), to achieve discipline in the markets, And preventing any harmful, uncontrolled practices in cases of not announcing prices or selling at more than the price, and oversight efforts resulted in launching 9280 A monitoring campaign, visiting 130,071 commercial establishments, and issuing 33,028 reports for the following violations (failure to announce prices / selling at more than the announced price / withholding strategic goods from trading / not issuing invoices / trading goods of unknown origin / misleading advertisements and deceptive behavior…. …….)
Third: “Media and Awareness System”:
The Consumer Protection Agency plays a vital role in protecting the rights of consumers and making them aware of their rights and duties. This role includes continuous efforts to educate consumers on various aspects related to rational and sustainable consumption, with the aim of enabling them to make informed purchasing decisions and protecting them from negative, uncontrolled practices.

In this context, the agency paid great attention to educating consumers as it is a proactive oversight, which contributes to reducing the rates of complaints received by the agency. Accordingly, the agency, through the “Public Relations, Media and Awareness Programs Department,” in coordination with various Egyptian universities, held many training courses and workshops for students. Media faculties in various universities, including (Cairo University / Misr University for Science and Technology / 6th of October University / Menoufia University / Galala University) in order to raise awareness Consumer consumption among male and female university students, as they are considered one of the factors of purchasing power in society.

Coinciding with World Consumer Rights Day, in March of each year, the agency launched the Consumer Rights and Services Guide. Launching the guide is an important step for all consumers to inform about their rights and obligations in all areas of the agency’s specializations, as well as the terms and data that must be known before making a purchasing decision for goods and services.

During the year 2024, the head of the Consumer Protection Agency carried out many activities and events, the aim of which was to control markets, prevent negative practices harmful to consumers’ rights, and enhance competitiveness in a way that guarantees consumers’ rights.
(Signing a cooperation protocol with the Cabinet Information Center)
The Consumer Protection Agency signed a protocol for joint cooperation with the Cabinet Information Center, in order to enhance cooperation and conduct the required studies of various phenomena related to the device’s work, as well as creating a mobile application for the device to facilitate citizens in submitting complaints and making all of the device’s services available to the public digitally.

In December 2024, the agency launched an initiative under the title “Disciplined Electronic Commerce” to announce controls and procedures for companies and platforms operating in this field, and to resolve all consumer complaints. This initiative comes from the agency’s keenness to support the Egyptian economy in the field of electronic commerce, in addition to reconciling the conditions of some unsuitable electronic platforms. Officially, this is to ensure balance in the relationship between the consumer and the merchant.

In December, the agency launched the consumer protection application via smart phones, in cooperation with the Cabinet Information Center, to facilitate citizens in submitting complaints, with the aim of providing smart digital services to citizens in accordance with the state’s plan for digital transformation.
(An educational seminar at the Republican People’s Party)
The head of the Consumer Protection Agency delivered an educational symposium at the Republican People’s Party on the role of the Consumer Protection Agency in controlling markets and commodity prices and its oversight mechanisms in protecting consumer rights, in the presence of members of the party’s parliamentary body from the Houses of Representatives/Senate, secretaries, and assistant secretaries in the governorates.

The head of the agency met with a number of civil society organizations from civil society associations working in the field of consumer protection, to discuss cooperation and coordination in the areas of consumer protection, consolidating the bonds of cooperation between the agency and civil society organizations, and spreading awareness of consumer rights and popular oversight “in accordance with laws and regulations.”

The head of the Consumer Protection Agency, the Turkish commercial attaché in Cairo, received Mr. Hakan Atay, the commercial attaché of the Turkish Embassy in Cairo, to discuss ways of cooperation between the two sides, in many files in the field of consumer protection.
The meeting resulted in a great consensus of views between the two sides, the Egyptian and the Turkish, and the two parties ended up forming a working group represented in a joint committee between the two sides, to consider and discuss all files of common interest, during the next stage in terms of transferring Egyptian expertise and conducting joint training between the two sides. .

On the sidelines of his attendance at the Competition Protection Authority conference on competition law and policies, Ibrahim Al-Sajini held a meeting with Teresa Moreira, Head of the Competition Policies and Consumer Protection Department, to discuss ways of cooperation and transfer of expertise between the two sides in the areas of consumer protection.