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Balance of the Municipal Consumer Service in 2024: 7,888 consultations, 462 complaints, and 165 inspections
March 14, 2025
Electricity was the sector that generated the most consultations last year, followed by telecommunications, online shopping, banking, and gas
*Consult the Consumer Agenda 2025 here:
The Municipal Consumer Information Office (OMIC) of the Avilés City Council attended a total of 7,888 information and advisory consultations throughout 2024. This data is reflected in the annual balance prepared by the Municipal Consumer Service, published on the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day, celebrated worldwide on March 15.
Among these 7,888 consultations, those related to the electricity sector (2,156) stood out in number, followed by telecommunications (1,144), online shopping (907), banking (552), and gas (506).
By month, the highest volume of consultations occurred in January (921) and February (815), totaling 1,736 consultations between the two months.
This is a free service that addresses the inquiries of consumers and users residing in the municipality of Avilés, providing legal information and advice on any doubts or disputes regarding consumption.
Additionally, the municipal service processed a total of 462 consumer complaints.
«From the consumer office, we believe that disseminating information is very important, so we work to offer educational visits to schools and associations where we introduce the various services we offer and the rights of consumers. We also promote collaboration with other institutions to improve the management of the complaints we handle and with the General Directorate of Consumption to collaborate on campaigns as we share objectives,» explains the Councilor for Consumer Affairs, Ana Solís.
Inspection
A total of 165 inspection visits were carried out in commercial establishments spread throughout the municipality of Avilés. Of these, 137 were carried out in relation to complaints or reports filed by consumers, with the aim of clarifying and determining the facts subject to the complaint, and for the verification of the applicable regulations.
The remaining 28 visits were carried out as a result of alerts received from the Consumer Service of the Principality of Asturias, in order to carry out surveillance and control actions regarding alerted products or items.
As a result, a total of 166 regulatory acts, reports, and others were issued, of which 143 were inspection reports and 23 were various types of reports.
Additionally, during these inspections, on-site information and mediation were conducted at the request of those present in the visited establishments, in order to clarify doubts about sectoral regulations.
Activities
Throughout 2024, various activities were carried out, promoted or participated in by the Municipal Consumer Information Office (OMIC) of the Avilés City Council.
Activities of education and training:
On October 15, an activity was carried out at IES La Magdalena with 9 students from 4th ESO who are taking the Economics Workshop subject, in which, from a predominantly practical perspective, training was provided on consumer rights and the process of complaints, mediation, and arbitration.
With this type of initiative, OMIC aims to raise awareness about the importance of small acts, habits, and daily decisions to promote more responsible consumption and acquire knowledge for the exercise of rights as consumers and users from an early age.
Activities to promote and support associations:
In this exercise, a budget of 3,600 euros was allocated to projects of the Consumer Grants Line, with two associations benefiting from a total amount of 1,890.80 euros.
Within the framework of promotion activities, support is provided to Consumer and User Associations of the municipality through the call for grants on a competitive basis, aimed at consumer and user associations located in the municipal area of Avilés.
Activities of dissemination:
The Consumer Agenda 2025 (400 copies) was edited, which will be distributed mainly among the Municipal Consumer Information Offices of the Principality of Asturias, territorial Consumer Arbitration Boards, municipal facilities, and among citizens.
The Consumer Agenda 2025 offers new information on Personal Data Protection: What rights do I have?, How to protect my personal data? and Steps to claim and exercise my rights.
In addition, a consumer decalogue is added, and the addresses and phone numbers of interest to consumers are listed.
Throughout 2024, 500 brochures were produced with information on personal data protection; 300 units of brochures related to banks and 200 copies on insurance.
Collaboration activities:
Collaboration activities were carried out with other Municipal Consumer Information Offices in Spain, with the Consumer Service of the Principality of Asturias, and with organizations and entities in the field of consumer and user protection.
During the year 2024, 1,113 official complaint forms were distributed to the commercial establishments that requested them.
FUENTE