Promotion of consumer rights

The high prices of basic necessities with its corollaries of social, economic and political crisis, the difficulties of access to essential services (drinking water, electric energy, sanitation, health care, decent housing, etc.), are just as many problems facing African consumer citizens in recent years. An effective consumer protection policy ensures the smooth functioning and efficiency of the single market. Its objective is to guarantee the rights of consumers vis-à-vis economic operators and to provide additional protection for vulnerable consumers.

While welcoming the adoption by the UN in 1985 of the United Nations Guiding Principles for the Protection of Consumers which set out the main principles of consumer protection, it is unfortunately clear that most African countries do not have framework consumer protection laws to ensure adequate consumer protection. In addition, the few countries that have them, they are not implemented.

The AUC, as a pan-African organization and federator of consumer organizations in Africa is actively working to promote the implementation of these Guiding Principles as well as international and regional treaties in favor of consumer protection. To do this, it works to strengthen the capacities of its members, the development of strong networking, the sharing of experiences and good practices and information, the promotion of frank and sincere dialogue with companies and establishment of frank collaborative relations with governments, regional, sub-regional and international institutions.