The Institution of the Ombudsman for Consumer Protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina records continuous growth in the number of appeals in the last five years, with consumer complaints diverse, from telecommunications and utilities to online trade.
On the occasion of the World Consumer Rights, Sasa Marić, he pointed out that the number of appeals from 2019. years, when there were 600, increased to 1,300 in 2023, while 2024 was completed with 1,400 applications.
The largest number of complaints referred to telecommunications and utilities, consumer goods, financial and tourist services, and increasingly on online trade. Marić emphasizes that the sphere of internet purchases has become more problematic after the COVIDA-19 pandemic, although the number of such complaints is still relatively low – last year were around 30.
On the positive side, he emphasizes that the complaints on legal traders are mainly resolved in the benefit of consumers. However, a large number of applications relate to fraud, such as false sellers and non-existent products, which exists from the consumer rights framework and exceeds the domain of criminal offenses. Such cases of the institution passed the Departments for Cyber Crime at the Ministry of the Interior.
Unjustified food prices
Speaking of pregnancies, Marić points out that food prices in Bosnia and Herzegovina rose abruptly for four years, with that trend in particular in the past 12 months. Analysis of the Institution at the end of 2024. It pointed out that the main reason for growth prices is an enormous increase in the trading margin in the distribution and supply chain, as global prices have not increased to the same extent as those on BiH. market.
Marić notes that consumers in BiH are increasingly aware of their rights, which confirms the growth of the number of complaints, but simultaneously emphasizes the importance of continuous education in this area.
In this context, the institution for the fifth year in a row, in cooperation with the media and educational institutions, implements the citizens’ information projects about their rights, writes Akta.
