Indecopi

Indecopi, the National Institute for the Defense of Free Competition and Protection of Intellectual Property, was founded in 1992 to promote a free market and protect consumer rights in Peru. It also encourages a climate of fair and honest competition for all involved (costumers, entrepreneurs and the State) and defends intellectual property.

For the ordinary Peruvian citizens, foreigners living in Peru and foreign visitors Indecopi is one of the few extremely helpful and useful public institutions - by the way it is attached to the Office of the Prime Minister with independent legal status - as it often is the last resort for settling disagreements and disputes between costumers and companies. Additionally, Indecopi regularly takes action against companies disrespecting the rules of fair and honest competition and violating consumer rights.

One important achievement of Indecopi in the last decade was the introduction of the Libro de Reclamaciones (Complaints Book). With this Libro customers, who aren’t happy with a purchased product or with a provided service, can easily and quickly file a complaint against companies, institutions and service providers in Peru.

If the company or provider doesn’t react to the complaint within 30 days or doesn’t offer a solution to solve the disagreement or problem, Indecopi gets involved upon request and usually acts quickly to the customer’s satisfaction, if the complaint is justified.