Shopping in Comoros

The Union of Comoros has formal retailers and informal small sellers operating in parallel. Common shopping channels include marchés, épiceries, boutiques, magasins and supermarchés. Moroni is the main consumer centre, and Masiwa SuperMarket has operated as an early modern supermarket since 2004. KUUZA provides a formal online option for clothing, household goods, electrical products and supermarket items. Sellers also take orders through WhatsApp, Facebook, telephone calls and personal intermediaries. The three main islands are Ngazidja, also called Grande Comore, Ndzouani, also called Anjouan, and Mwali, also called Mohéli. Availability is generally stronger in Moroni and other urban centres. Anjouan is an important deep-water and import centre, but ports, roads, sea conditions and weather can affect movement between islands. Confirm the delivery island, stock location, transport charge and expected delivery time before paying. Imported goods account for much of the available range: merchandise imports were about USD 358 million in 2024, compared with about USD 30 million in exports. Brand, origin, warranty and after-sales support depend on the seller or importer. The direct cost can include the KMF price, delivery, customs duties, taxes and a payment fee. Goods arriving in Comoros must be declared to the Direction Générale des Douanes. Duties and taxes depend on the type and value of the goods, and restrictions or prohibitions may apply. Customs may check documents and the physical shipment. Violations can lead to fines, seizure or other administrative measures. There is no established general duty-free allowance or uniform de minimis threshold for all online orders. Cash remains the basic payment channel. Mobile-money services include BDC/Holo, Telco Money or MVola, and Huri Money, which became Wakati from 2025. Wakati offers app and USSD access, Kasha agents and QR or API-based merchant collection. The Banque Centrale des Comores reported 669,584 electronic-money accounts in 2024, of which 195,141 were active, and 5,458,040 transactions, an increase of 55.5% from 2023. Recharge and cash-in or cash-out services and person-to-person transfers represented more than 93% of transaction volume, so merchant acceptance differs by seller. KomorPay and Komor Switch are developing interbank transfers within 24 hours and bank-to-mobile-money connections, but card or phone payment at any merchant is not yet established nationwide. Confirm the available channel and any fee with the seller or payment provider. Online shopping remains fragmented. Internet use reached about 33% of the population in 2024, so access and service quality vary. Comoros has no reliably documented nationwide marketplace, parcel, returns or escrow infrastructure. Before an online payment, verify the seller's identity, physical address, current stock, total price including transport and possible customs charges, delivery island, delivery time, warranty and return terms. Do not send an advance payment through social commerce without a verifiable seller. Never share an OTP or PIN, use only an official bank or wallet channel, inspect the goods on delivery and retain the transaction record. There is no separately identified general consumer-protection law or specific general e-commerce consumer-protection rule for Comoros in the reviewed material. Under the Civil Code, a sale is formed by agreement on the goods and price. For a hidden defect, the buyer may generally seek return of the goods and repayment or keep the goods and request a price reduction, with an expert assessment where necessary. There is no evidenced general 14-day online withdrawal right, so a return of faultless goods normally depends on the seller's policy or the contract. Keep the receipt, chat history, payment proof and serial number. For a defective product, contact the seller or importer in writing first. No unified national consumer portal or general local mediation service has been reliably identified for ordinary goods. A court claim may remain possible under contract or hidden-defect rules. Telecommunications and digital-service complaints follow a separate path: contact the provider's customer service, submit a written complaint, and then contact ANRTIC online or by post if needed. ANRTIC is not a general authority for all goods, and the Banque Centrale des Comores supervises financial services without creating an automatic chargeback right for every payment dispute. Comoros prohibits the production, import, sale and distribution of non-biodegradable plastic packaging and bags under Loi 17-011/AU. Homologated biodegradable packaging and specified exceptions, including certain direct product packaging and health, research or safety cases, follow special conditions. Discarding or releasing prohibited plastic is also covered. Sanctions can range from three months to five years of imprisonment or KMF 100,000 to KMF 10,000,000 in fines, with doubled penalties for repeat offences. Enforcement varies between islands, and waste and recycling services are limited. Reusable packaging, repair, reuse and locally made products can reduce transport and waste; a PET and can recovery project has been documented in Mohéli. The Ministry responsible for commerce, the customs authority, the Banque Centrale des Comores, ANRTIC, environmental and sanitation services, sellers and importers each have different responsibilities.