DACO launches ‘Ojo al Precio’ to oversee online sales
The Department of Consumer Affairs (DACO, in Spanish) has launched an enforcement effort focused on digital sales platforms, aiming to ensure that items marketed on the internet and social media display prices clearly and in compliance with commercial regulations.
Agency Secretary Hiram Torres-Montalvo announced the initiative, Operation “Ojo al Precio” (“Eye on the Price”), which will run this week and next.
Torres Montalvo said the rapid growth of direct sales websites — including online classifieds and Facebook Marketplace — has created “another front in the fight to protect consumer rights.”
He noted the operation will verify that sellers are following current rules, including the requirement to “place the price clearly and accurately.”
He added that in recent years “digital direct sales platforms have experienced a rapid surge, and that is why it is imperative that best commercial practices be observed in favor of consumers.”
The initiative is based on Regulation 9158 of Commercial Practices, particularly Rule 18 on price announcements, which specifies that “the prices of goods and services must be advertised clearly and precisely.”
DACO inspectors will also check that advertisements comply with Section B of the rule, which requires that prices be shown “without the need for additional calculations.”
“The excellent team at DACO, in this case our inspectors, will be monitoring these websites, as well as receiving input from consumers through our social media, to ensure compliance with all provisions of Regulation 9158 on Commercial Practices,” Torres-Montalvo said.
He encouraged consumers to report misleading advertisements or other concerns through the agency’s website and its social media accounts.
