Shopping in Guinea-Bissau

Groceries are commonly bought at feiras and mercados, including Mercado de Bandim and Mercado de Caracol in Bissau, as well as local stalls and shops called lojas or mercearias. Rice and other imported staples are widely traded alongside millet, sorghum, cassava, vegetables, fish and cashews. Market monitoring covers about 44 markets, and another dataset covers 45 markets, but no single national shelf-price list applies to every seller. FAO reported in November 2025 that imported rice prices were about 10% lower than a year earlier, wheat flour was about 10% to 20% lower, and local millet was about 10% to 25% higher. These figures do not replace a check of the current price at the specific market. Personal-care and household goods such as soap, oil and cleaning products are supplied mainly through markets, mercearias and imported distribution. Clothing is available through market stalls selling new and used imported garments. Size, quality, exchange and return practices depend largely on the seller. Technology products are also import-dependent and more concentrated in urban retail channels. ICT equipment used for telecommunications or interconnection can require approval from the Autoridade Reguladora Nacional (ARN), and a reliable nationwide warranty, repair or return system has not been identified. The West African CFA franc, written XOF or FCFA, is the legal tender. The BCEAO, the regional central bank, requires sellers to accept its notes and coins. Orange Money is provided by Finances Mobiles Bissau, while BOA and MTN operate an MTN Mobile Money partnership. A regional instant-payment pilot supports bank, electronic-money, microfinance and payment accounts, QR payments and merchant requests, but universal acceptance at shops has not been established. Sellers may add practical or transaction charges, and no national retail fee schedule has been identified. Online shopping remains emerging and mainly informal. Guinea-Bissau has no dedicated e-commerce framework or Electronic Transactions Act, and no consumer-protection law specifically governing online transactions has been identified. Internet use reached about 30% in 2024 and electricity access about 43.7%, which limits reliable online ordering and delivery outside connected urban areas. Delivery, payment, returns and delivery times depend on the seller. There is no formal customs de minimis threshold; a UNECA profile reports a practical threshold of about US$50, while the final customs burden depends on the goods, origin and applicable regime. A .gw domain is not required for an e-business, although registration generally involves a commercial presence or residence, and a foreign entity may need a local legal representative and certified proof of intent. A unified public retail return, refund or complaint system has not been identified. Keep the receipt or fatura, seller messages, payment evidence and photographs when a product may need to be challenged. The DGCI requires registered IVA taxpayers to issue normalized invoices and comply with the nationwide IVA implementation that began on 1 January 2025. An IVA invoice is tax evidence; it does not by itself create a product warranty or a right to return goods. If negotiation with the seller fails, available practical remedies may involve a civil or commercial claim, but the outcome depends on the facts and evidence. Law or Decree 16/2013 prohibits the production, import, sale and distribution of non-biodegradable plastic bags. Bags nevertheless remain common, and open dumping and limited waste services make reuse, recycling and community collection relevant practical choices. No reliable nationwide consumer eco-label, repair network or retail recycling system has been identified. Local processing and products from sustainable cashew agroforestry, rice, peanuts, sweet potatoes, vegetables and honey can support lower-impact purchasing where they are available.