The Consumer Protection and Competition Defense Authority (Acodeco) explains the general conditions for a warranty to be effective, indicating the covered risks, those not covered, the place where the claim must be filed, and the express approval of the supplier or its authorized representative.
Acodeco explains that the importer, distributor, or supplier is obligated to guarantee proper functioning, whether through repair, replacement, or refund, when goods do not work properly during the warranty period, due to either a product defect or a cause attributable to the manufacturer.
It must also contain, among other data, the names and addresses of the commercial establishment and the consumer; a precise description of the good or service subject to the warranty, indicating the brand, serial number, model, size, and predominant color; the date of purchase and delivery of the good or service; and the duration of the warranty term.
According to Acodeco, warranty violations top the list of complaints filed by buyers with that institution, as shown by the statistics from the Complaint Decision Departments (500 cases worth B/.280,912.84), the Mediation Department (60 complaints worth B/.2,437,602.49), and the Motor Vehicles Section (232 claims worth B/.2,920,865.10).
"The supplier and intermediaries cannot provide a warranty inferior to the one received from the manufacturer."
According to Acodeco, this data can be incorporated into the sales contract or set out in a separate document that is part of the contract or the respective invoice.
Therefore, Acodeco reminds that "it is important that the terms and conditions are set out in writing in a clear and precise manner."
From January to September 2025, the Consumer Protection and Competition Defense Authority (Acodeco) has received some 792 complaints due to warranty non-compliance, which, according to the institution, represents a total amount of B/.5,639,380.43.
"Do not trust verbal promises, because they have no validity," asserts Acodeco.
