The program of the Ministry of Production, Industry and Employment develops different actions and policies aimed at providing greater equity and equality in consumer relations. Among the priorities are “hypervulnerable consumers”.
The Undersecretary of Foreign Trade and Defense of Competition of the Ministry of Production, Industry and Employment strengthens direct work with different social sectors of the province through the Education for Consumption program.
One of the priority points has to do with the so-called “hypervulnerable consumers”, as recognized by the new Argentine regulations in resolution 139/2020 of the National Secretariat of Domestic Trade.
The instrument considers as hypervulnerable those consumers who are in other situations of vulnerability due to their age, gender, physical or mental state, or due to social, economic, ethnic and/or cultural circumstances, which cause special difficulties in exercising fully their rights as consumers.
“Precisely with various objectives is that we face a series of actions and developed over the last few months different policies aimed at strengthening direct work in this aspect,” explained Fabio Maciel, coordinator of the program, this Sunday.
“We believe that it is essential to address this issue and be able to provide information and tools that allow greater equity and equality in consumer relations,” he added.
Among the activities carried out by Education for Consumption, two talks held in retirement centers stand out: one in the Club Cune recreational colony and another in the Villa Pegoraro neighborhood, both in Resistencia.
In addition, in Juan José Castelli, representatives of the program met with native communities in annex B “Cacique Do’oxoi” of EEP 1049 “Professor Hugo Salmón”.
In each of the actions undertaken, brochures were delivered and salient issues of National Law 24,240, on Consumer Protection, and Provincial Law 2,068-D and their respective regulatory frameworks, which regulate consumer relations, were addressed. .
“The concept of consumption was worked on, the parties involved, that is, consumer and consumer and provider, as well as the importance of the right to information, dignified treatment and precautions against the offer and advertising, emphasizing that they are treated of situations of the daily life of any person”, remarked Maciel.
In parallel, the references of Education for Consumption made known the content of Provincial Law 2380-D that establishes the prohibition of price differences in the purchase with credit cards in one payment, and debit cards.
They also disseminated the means of communication with the Provincial Directorate of Consumer Protection: the Tu Gobierno Digital application on the internet; the website www.defensadelconsumidor.
Resolution 139/2020 of the National Secretariat of Domestic Trade incorporated into Argentine positive law the figure of the “hypervulnerable consumer” and includes, as such, those people who are in situations of “vulnerability” due to their age. , gender, physical or mental state, or due to social, economic, ethnic and/or cultural circumstances, which cause special difficulties in fully exercising their rights as consumers.
Likewise, non-profit legal persons (associations, foundations, mutuals) that direct their “corporate objects” to the previously mentioned groups of natural persons may be included in this concept.
The regulations establish certain causes that may be considered “hypervulnerability” such as claims involving children and adolescents, belonging to the LGTB+ collective, age (being over 70 years of age), disability, migrant or tourist status, rurality, and residence in popular neighborhoods.
For its part, the norm adds the possibility of including certain socio-economic situations of hypervulnerability (which must be proven): retirees and pensioners or workers in a dependency relationship who receive a gross remuneration less than or equal to two salaries Vital and Moving Minima (SMVM); monotributistas registered in a category whose annual monthly income does not exceed twice the SMVM; receiving unemployment insurance; and be social monotributistas.