1. What is the activity of the State Service for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control in the field of consumer market control and protection of consumer rights?
2. What rights does the consumer have?
3. How does the State Service for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control oversee the consumer market?
4. How to contact the State Service for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control regarding violations in the consumer market?
5. What are the other competent administrative bodies involved in the protection of consumer rights, and what issues can be addressed to them?

1. What is the activity of the State Service for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control in the field of consumer market control and protection of consumer rights?

• The State Service performs state control over compliance with the legislation on the protection of consumer rights, including the norms and rules of trade, public catering, household services, and other types of services;
• Takes measures to prevent the inclusion of terms limiting consumer rights in contracts;
• Takes action to prevent the sale of goods (works, services) that do not comply with technical regulatory legal acts, pose a threat to life, health, or the environment, or require mandatory certification but lack the necessary certificates;
• Supervises compliance with rules on product proximity, temperature control, and the replacement or return of goods during storage or sale, except for food products and cargoes under veterinary and phytosanitary control;
• Manages and acts on consumer complaints related to deception in weight (size), price, calculations, failure to provide full and accurate information about goods, or violations of sale conditions;
• Monitors price discipline, ensuring correct application of prices for goods (works, services) whose prices are state regulated;
• Takes measures to prevent the sale of non-food products past their expiration dates or with labeling that does not comply with legal requirements;
• Controls the sale of polyethylene bags less than 15 microns thick, as well as disposable plastic items such as mixing sticks, forks, spoons, knives, plates, and cups.

2.What rights does the consumer have?

Consumers are entitled to the following rights:

• Freely choose goods (work or services) and their manufacturer, provider, or seller;
• The right to goods, works, and services of the required quality;
• Safety of goods (works, services);
• Access to complete and accurate information about the quantity, variety, and quality of goods (works, services);
• Compensation for damage caused by goods (works, services) that are of insufficient quality or dangerous to health and life, as provided by law;
• The right to apply to state bodies or the courts to protect their rights and legal interests;
• The right to unite in public organizations (consumers' unions).

3. How does the State Service for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control oversee the consumer market?

In accordance with the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On Regulation of Inspections Conducted in the Field of Entrepreneurship and Protection of the Interests of Entrepreneurs," the State Service conducts scheduled and unscheduled inspections by visiting the premises of business entities;

• Takes legal measures to address violations identified through investigations of complaints submitted to the State Service;
• Issues written instructions to eliminate violations of consumer rights or trade rules, takes action to prevent further violations, and ensures violators are held accountable under the law;
• Submits recommendations to executive authorities to suspend the licenses or permits of business entities found in violation of consumer protection laws or regulations governing medicinal products;
• Issues reprimands and demands to violators, and if necessary, submits recommendations to relevant state authorities for the revision of certificates and accreditations when violations of normative documents and legal requirements are found in goods (works, services);
• Under the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On the suspension of inspections in the field of entrepreneurship,” inspections in this sector have been suspended until January 1, 2024;
• However, under the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On Regulation of Inspections Conducted in the Field of Entrepreneurship and Protection of the Interests of Entrepreneurs," unscheduled inspections may be conducted under the same law when legal entities and individuals, state or local government bodies submit official requests (information) about specific threats or significant damage to life, health, the environment, or the property interests of the state, or when such information is disseminated by the media.

4. How to contact the State Service for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control regarding violations in the consumer market?

You can contact the State Service regarding consumer market violations as follows:

Electronically via the "Application, complaint, proposal" subsection of the "Application" section on the official website: www.competition.gov.az (https://competition.gov.az/az/page/muraciet/erize-sikayet-teklif);

Call Center: Contact the Call Center at 195-1-4;

Email: Send a written application to office@competition.gov.az;

In person: Visit the State Service at the following address: Baku, Sabail District, Uzeyir Hajibeyov Street 84, Government House, Gate 7.