The Balearic Islands Arbitration Board resolved a total of 1,347 disputes between consumers and companies in 2021, of which the majority, 904, were resolved by the consumer arbitrators, while the rest, 443, were resolved by agreement thanks to the mediation offered. This body has managed to resolve all the petitions received last year in less than 90 days and telematically, which is more convenient for all parties involved, as they do not have to travel to the consumer offices to deal with any differences that may arise. In total, 1,529 requests for arbitration were received last year, some 200 more than in the previous year. This is a free service to resolve discrepancies between consumers and the companies that are members of the system – a total of 1,392 in the community (61 of which will be members in 2021). By sector, the most complained about through arbitration were the telephone sector (988 complaints), followed by energy (232) and furniture (83). All member companies can be consulted on the website of the Directorate General for Consumer Affairs: http://consum.caib.es.
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This is one of the data extracted from the 2021 Report of the Directorate General for Consumer Affairs, already published, which also takes stock of other services, such as Consumer Inspection and Market Surveillance. This department carried out a total of 5,328 inspections in 2021 (3,994 in Mallorca, 746 in Menorca and 588 in Eivissa and Formentera). Half (2,510) correspond to inspections carried out in the framework of specific control campaigns, 25% to search and withdrawal from the market of products included in the alert network of industrial products and the remaining 25% to other actions, such as those carried out ex officio or for other reasons. In total, 1,730 establishments were visited last year.
Likewise, in 2021, 232 samples were taken for analytical control (83 food products and 149 industrial products) and 183,164 units were withdrawn from the market that were unsafe or did not meet the necessary requirements to be distributed: the vast majority (166,404) were masks, 7,540 batteries, 7,338 toys and/or children’s costumes and 1,624 items of clothing, among others. Meanwhile, 4,134 units were voluntarily destroyed by the company holding the product (mostly 3,084 toys and/or children’s costumes). In addition, a total of 37 campaigns were carried out in 2021: 16 at national level and 21 at regional level.
In terms of sanctioning activity in defence of consumers and users in 2021, a total of 235 cases were processed: 167 as a result of complaints and another 68 as a result of inspections. In all, a total of 1,424,357 euros in penalties were imposed. By sectors of activity, 340,000 euros were imposed for defects in the declaration of origin and quality of olive oils, another 90,000 for breaches of contract, 84,000 for air transport and 72,000 euros for the electricity sector, among others.
Consumópolis
Last year, the Directorate General for Consumer Affairs organised the 16th edition of the school competition Consumópolis, to contribute to the integral development of current and future consumers, in which 265 teams registered and 1,325 pupils took part, double the number of the previous edition. With regard to Consumópolis 17, whose slogan is “I like circular and responsible consumption”, the Balearic Islands is in second place in terms of participation at a national level, with 13.2% of its students registered. It should be noted that this year the participation of students has increased by 48 teams compared to the previous edition; specifically, the current edition of the competition has 313 teams registered.
“Consumer Affairs for the Elderly”.
In 2021, the Directorate General for Consumer Affairs, as a pilot programme together with the Consell de Mallorca’s Institute of Social Affairs of Majorca, organised information-training sessions aimed at the elderly with the slogan “Consumer Affairs helps you to decipher the electricity bill and the bono social” to explain the content and operation of electricity bills and the bono social eléctrico, in addition to informing the public about the work carried out by the Directorate General in defence of consumer rights through the Consumer Portal.