Labels Found
Missing On Many Chinese
Products Sold in Costa Rica
Buying the cheapest to save a few colones
can be costly, especially when buying
Chinese made products, warns the Dirección
de Apoyo al Consumidor.
The government agency reports that since
2005 there have been dozens of complaints -
29 to be exact - of faulty labeling of the
products, which leads the consumer to make
an uninformed choice.
Cynthia Zapata, head fo the department at
the Dirección de Apoyo al Consumidor, says
that her office does not get many
complaints, but assures complaints are filed
with other government agency and consumer
association.
Zapata says that many consumers do not file
a complaint, assuming the risk.
However, of the complaints filed, the
majority are with respect to labeling, most
important lacking the "Spanish" translation
of the product and its contents.
The Spanish language label attached before
the product hits the retail stores is one
way consumers can tell that the product is
an import, but more important it provides
product information and details of the
importer, including a phone number and an
address.
Zapata stressed that most important to read
the label is on food products, products that
consumers should not consumer unless they
know the exact content and the expiry date.
Appliances and electronics are required to
include a Spanish language manual, which
also come with minimum 30 day warranty
provided by the seller, failing which a
consumer can complain to the Oficina de
Apoyo al Consumidor.
The 30 day warranty (it is actually 30
working days) is applicable to all retail
products, including vehicles, irrespective
that a retailer may offer the product as is
and no warranty.
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