The Authority for Consumer Protection and Competition Defense (Acodeco) in Panama maintains strict oversight of compliance with Law 6 of 1987, a regulation that establishes discounts and preferential treatment for retirees, pensioners, and the elderly nationwide. Last year, the institution handled a total of 498 irregular situations linked to the failure to apply legal benefits. Upon confirmation of non-compliance with Law 6 of 1987, an official report is filed, and the administrative sanctioning process is formally initiated. The institution made an important clarification regarding consumer expectations. This team conducts physical inspections at designated establishments to verify violations. According to data from Acodeco's Research Department, the most frequent irregularities were concentrated in the following areas: 138 cases for failing to apply the special interest rate; 118 incidents for not applying the 25% discount in restaurants; 93 records for the absence of visible signs informing about the benefits; 59 reports for not granting the preferential interest on loans; 23 cases for not applying the 15% discount in fast-food establishments; 16 complaints for directly refusing to grant the discount; 11 cases for not validating the 25% discount on air travel. As a result of these enforcement actions, 63 sanctions were imposed in the first instance, totaling B/. 27,460.00 for violating the regulation. Acodeco explained that upon receiving a citizen complaint, a technical report is generated and sent to the Verification Department. A high volume of complaints related to discounts on cable TV or internet services has been observed; however, the entity emphasized that these benefits are not covered under the legal framework of Law 6 of 1987. Acodeco's work focuses on supervising and guiding on the strict compliance with current benefits. Acodeco handled 498 cases of non-compliance with Law 6 of 1987. During the last period, the institution recorded nearly 500 irregularities related to the omission of legally established benefits for the elderly. To facilitate understanding of the norm, the institution maintains a guide to frequently asked questions available to the public on its official website. The entity reiterated its commitment to continuing to monitor that preferential treatment and mandatory discounts are guaranteed for this vulnerable sector of the population.
