Consumer protection in Suriname

The Economische Controle Dienst (ECD), EZOTI and Consumentenbescherming (CoZa) handle many problems involving prices, labels, weights, expiry dates and cashier systems. The Prijsaanduidingsbesluit SB 2024 no 20 requires visible prices. SRD Check provides official price monitoring for basic and strategic goods. Reports can be submitted through the SRD Check or CoZa Webapp, by calling 1940 or at +597 8530915 and +597 402080 extension 1053. ECD measures can include a warning, a report to the authorities, a price correction, removal or destruction of goods and temporary business closure. Published sources do not establish a general consumer fee, standard decision deadline or automatic refund through this channel. A Dutch-language bon or nota should identify the business name and address, the good or service, unit price, quantity or measure, tax, total price including tax and the sale or service date. Where relevant, it should also show the duration or period and warranty information. Businesses should retain a duplicate for 10 years. These records help establish what was bought and on which terms. The Surinaams Standaarden Bureau (SSB) sets standards, certifies products, supports laboratory accreditation and handles metrology. Its consumer-related work includes investigating complaints about goods, checking imports and testing samples. Rules cover health, safety, food safety, consumer information and prevention of fraud or deception. False labels, packaging, advertising or standard marks can lead to seizure, removal or destruction of unsafe or non-compliant goods. An affected party can appeal a Bureau decision to the responsible minister within two months. Food control remains divided among the BOG Keuringsdienst, LVV Veterinary Inspection and the planned national food-safety role of NIVS. A draft Levensmiddelenwet was submitted again to DNA on 6 March 2026, while the older food legislation from 1911 remains inadequate according to NIVS. Product recalls may be announced through EZOTI, an importer or public notices, with withdrawal and disposal of affected goods. The reviewed sources do not establish a general consumer refund or compensation procedure for food complaints. The Registratiecommissie (RC) under Volksgezondheid checks packaged medicines before market release for effectiveness, safety, quality and legal compliance. Registered medicines can have UR, specialist-prescription, UA or UAD status. Self-medication products also require registration. Suspected illegal medicines can be reported to the Farmaceutische Inspectie at 440089. The average 180-day registration period concerns market authorization for a provider, not the handling of an individual consumer complaint, and no published medicine-refund or alternative dispute process was identified. Financial services are supervised by the Centrale Bank van Suriname (CBvS), including banks, credit, insurance, money transfers, capital markets and payment services. The CBvS publishes licensed institutions and focuses on soundness and integrity, but it does not mediate individual insurance disputes. A central financial-consumer ombudsman or alternative dispute process has not been established in the reviewed sources. NFIES has called for a specific financial-consumer protection and conflict-resolution framework. Suspected illegal money-changing activity can be reported to the CBvS at +597 425338. The Wet Elektronisch Rechtsverkeer 2017 no 86, articles 50 to 53, requires electronic-commerce providers to be identifiable and offers or promotions to be clear. Providers should show their name, registered address, direct contact details, email address and registration information. Competitions and unsolicited electronic commerce need clear conditions or identification, and unsolicited offers need a simple free opt-out method. The reviewed sources do not establish a general withdrawal or refund right for every digital purchase. For telecommunications, complain to the provider first. If the matter remains unresolved, TAS can review it using its complaint form, invoices or receipts and relevant correspondence. Submission is available in person or by email, but the reviewed sources do not publish a consumer fee or standard decision deadline. SSB standards also cover tour guides, tourist accommodation, booking agents, tour operators and travel agencies, yet no general tourism ombudsman or passenger alternative dispute process was identified. EBS handles electricity billing, meter-reading and service complaints through customer contact 175, MyAccount, SMS and its website; call 139 for faults. EBS states that it handles every billing complaint and that a pending complaint is not subject to collection costs or disconnection under its published rule. No independent energy-consumer dispute institution was identified. SSB and ECD can address price manipulation, false labels, fake quality claims, non-calibrated scales and expired or unsafe goods. SSB violations can constitute an economic offence and may lead to seizure, destruction or administrative measures. Financial fraud belongs to the supervisory framework of CBvS and FIU, but no individual financial redress process was identified. Consumentenkring Suriname supports consumer awareness and exchanges with EZOTI, but it has no public decision-making or compensation power. Keep the bon, nota, invoice or kwitantie, correspondence, photographs and product or batch information. These records support a complaint to the authority or provider that fits the sector. Consumer complaints to CoZa or ECD, SSB, TAS and CBvS do not have a published general fee or standard processing time, so an authority complaint should not be treated as a guaranteed payment or replacement. Individual purchase and contract claims may instead require the contract and civil-law remedies under the Nieuw Burgerlijk Wetboek, in force since 1 May 2025.