Countries › Peru › Guide › 14. Disputes › Consumer claims in Peru: complaint handling, the complaints book, INDECOPI procedures, fines, collective actions and consumer arbitration

Consumer claims in Peru: complaint handling, the complaints book, INDECOPI procedures, fines, collective actions and consumer arbitration

Last verified: 2026-10-28 · Status: Changing

Any business selling to final consumers in Peru, including foreign e commerce platforms targeting the Peruvian market, must answer complaints within 15 non extendable business days and keep a physical or virtual complaints book. INDECOPI enforces the Consumer Code: claims up to 3 UIT (S/ 16,500 in 2026) go to a fast summary procedure, and fines reach 450 UIT (S/ 2,475,000), with caps of 10 and 20 percent of sales for micro and small firms. INDECOPI and recognised associations can bring collective actions, consumer arbitration is free and binding, and breaching a consumer settlement or award triggers automatic fines that double until compliance.

USD figures use S/ 3.452 per US dollar, the banking system selling rate published by the Superintendencia de Banca, Seguros y AFP for 27 October 2026, from the Banco Central de Reserva del Perú statistics series PD04640PD. UIT amounts use the 2026 UIT of S/ 5,500 set by Decreto Supremo Nº 301-2025-EF, as cited in SUNAT Resolución de Superintendencia Nº 000016-2026/SUNAT. Conversions are for orientation only.

Key facts

Time for a supplier to answer a consumer complaint	15 business daysLey Nº 29571 art. 24.1 (Ley Nº 31435), as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Complaints book required	Yes, physical or virtual, including e commerce platforms textLey Nº 29571 art. 150 (Ley Nº 32495), as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Value limit for the INDECOPI summary procedure	3 UITLey Nº 29571 art. 125 (DL Nº 1390), as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Maximum consumer protection fine	450 UITLey Nº 29571 art. 110, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Maximum consumer protection fine in 2026	2,475,000 PENLey Nº 29571 art. 110; DS Nº 301-2025-EF, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Fine cap for microenterprises	10 % of prior year salesLey Nº 29571 art. 110, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Fine cap for small enterprises	20 % of prior year salesLey Nº 29571 art. 110, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Limitation period for consumer infractions	2 yearsLey Nº 29571 art. 121, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Collective consumer actions	Yes, by INDECOPI or delegated associations, opt out textLey Nº 29571 art. 131, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Unidad Impositiva Tributaria 2026	5,500 PENDS Nº 301-2025-EF, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
SBS banking system selling rate, 27 October 2026	3.452 PEN per USDBCRP series PD04640PD, as of 2026-10-28 · in force

The rule

1. Consumers are natural or legal persons who acquire, use or enjoy products or services as final users, outside a business or professional activity, plus microentrepreneurs showing information asymmetry with the supplier for products or services outside their own line of business. In case of doubt about the final use, the buyer is treated as a consumer. Suppliers are persons, private or public, who habitually make, distribute, sell or provide products or services to consumers.
Cost to do it: No cost; it defines who can file and who must comply.
Example: A Lima bakery buying a payment terminal outside its line of business can be protected as a consumer if it shows information asymmetry. / A foreign software company selling US$20 subscriptions to Peruvian individuals is a supplier under the Code.Código de Protección y Defensa del Consumidor, Ley Nº 29571 (El Peruano, 2 September 2010), Editora Perú updated text of 12 February 2026, Preliminary Title art. IV.1 and IV.2, 2010-09-02 official text · verified 2026-10-28

2. Suppliers must handle complaints and answer them within 15 business days that cannot be extended. Complaint lines or electronic channels must work in a timely way and not obstruct the complaint, and handling cannot be conditioned on paying the disputed amount or any other payment. Since February 2026, suppliers selling through platforms, apps or other digital channels must keep accessible, effective and permanently operating mechanisms to handle complaints and resolve disputes, without unnecessary costs; non domiciled suppliers targeting the Peruvian market that lack such mechanisms must at least keep an email channel for questions, complaints, exchanges and returns.
Cost to do it: Internal complaint handling staff and systems; failing to answer is an infraction that can be heard in the summary procedure regardless of amount.
Example: A Lima telecom reseller receiving a complaint on Monday 2 November 2026 must answer within 15 business days. / A US marketplace selling to Peruvian consumers without a local complaints system must at least operate an email channel for complaints and returns.Código de Protección y Defensa del Consumidor, Ley Nº 29571 (El Peruano, 2 September 2010), Editora Perú updated text of 12 February 2026, Art. 24 (24.1 as amended by Ley Nº 31435 of 22 March 2022; 24.4 and 24.5 added by Decreto Legislativo Nº 1729 of 12 February 2026), 2026-02-12 official text · verified 2026-10-28 · changed: Decreto Legislativo Nº 1729 (12 February 2026) added art. 24.4 and 24.5 on complaint mechanisms for digital commerce, including non domiciled suppliers.

3. Commercial establishments and every digital e commerce platform must have a complaints book (libro de reclamaciones), physical or virtual, display a visible notice of its existence (or a permanently visible link for platforms), answer complaints within the 15 business day term and send the records to INDECOPI on request. In sanction proceedings, the supplier must attach the complaint to its defence.
Cost to do it: Setting up a virtual complaints book and linking it on the platform; failure is an infraction subject to the art. 110 fine scale.
Example: A Lima shoe store must display a sign announcing its complaints book and hand it over when a customer asks. / A cross border e commerce platform selling to Peru must show a permanent link to its virtual complaints book.Código de Protección y Defensa del Consumidor, Ley Nº 29571 (El Peruano, 2 September 2010), Editora Perú updated text of 12 February 2026, Art. 150, 151 and 152 (150 and 151 as amended by Ley Nº 32495 of 11 November 2025; 152 as amended by Ley Nº 31435), 2025-11-11 official text · verified 2026-10-28 · changed: Ley Nº 32495 (11 November 2025) extended the complaints book duty to every digital e commerce platform and required a permanently visible link.

4. INDECOPI is the national authority with primary competence over Consumer Code infractions, sanctions and corrective measures, unless a law with the rank of law assigns them elsewhere. Proceedings start ex officio, on the complaint of the affected consumer or a potentially affected one, or of a consumer association. They can end early by withdrawal or by a conciliation, mediation, settlement or other agreement that clearly resolves the dispute. Summary procedure bodies hear complaints whose value (the product or service in dispute) does not exceed 3 UIT and, regardless of amount, complaints only about breach of conciliation agreements, failure to answer complaints or information requests, abusive collection methods, and delay or failure to deliver; the Consumer Protection Commission is the second instance and its decision ends the administrative route.
Cost to do it: Summary track for claims up to 3 UIT (S/ 16,500, about US$4,780). The Code itself sets no filing fee.
Example: A consumer disputing a S/ 4,000 (US$1,159) phone purchase goes to the summary procedure. / A complaint about a US$15,000 car with hidden defects exceeds 3 UIT and goes to the Consumer Protection Commission.Código de Protección y Defensa del Consumidor, Ley Nº 29571 (El Peruano, 2 September 2010), Editora Perú updated text of 12 February 2026, Art. 105, 107, 107-A, 124 and 125 (125 as amended by Decreto Legislativo Nº 1390 of 5 September 2018), 2018-09-05 official text · verified 2026-10-28

5. Infractions are sanctioned with a warning or fines of up to 450 UIT: minor infractions with a warning or up to 50 UIT, serious ones up to 150 UIT and very serious ones up to 450 UIT. For microenterprises the fine cannot exceed 10 percent of the previous year's sales or gross income, and for small enterprises 20 percent, if income is proven, there is no repeat offence and the case does not concern life, health or safety. Breach of a conciliation agreement, another agreement clearly ending the dispute or an arbitral award is fined between 1 and 200 UIT. Fines are without prejudice to corrective measures and civil or criminal liability. Infractions prescribe two years after they were committed or ceased; the power to enforce a sanction prescribes three years after it becomes final.
Cost to do it: Fines in 2026: up to S/ 275,000 (minor), S/ 825,000 (serious) and S/ 2,475,000 (very serious), about US$79,664, US$238,992 and US$716,976.
Example: A small Lima retailer fined for a serious infraction has its fine capped at 20 percent of last year's sales if it proves its income and is not a repeat offender. / A large supplier faces up to 450 UIT, about US$716,976, for a very serious infraction.Código de Protección y Defensa del Consumidor, Ley Nº 29571 (El Peruano, 2 September 2010), Editora Perú updated text of 12 February 2026, Art. 110 (as amended by Decreto Legislativo Nº 1308 of 30 December 2016), 121 and 122, 2016-12-30 official text · verified 2026-10-28

6. INDECOPI may bring court actions to protect diffuse consumer interests, and recognised associations may do so too. It may also bring collective actions for groups of consumers through the summary process, accumulating claims for damages, repair or replacement, refunds and related relief; it may delegate this power to recognised associations with adequate representativeness. INDECOPI represents all affected consumers unless they state in writing that they will not exercise their rights or will do so separately.
Cost to do it: Exposure to aggregated damages claims for all affected consumers who do not opt out.
Example: A bank charging an unlawful fee to thousands of clients can face a collective action by INDECOPI seeking refunds for all of them. / A foreign airline that cancels flights sold in Peru can face one collective suit covering every affected passenger who does not opt out.Código de Protección y Defensa del Consumidor, Ley Nº 29571 (El Peruano, 2 September 2010), Editora Perú updated text of 12 February 2026, Art. 130 and 131 (as amended by Decreto Legislativo Nº 1390 of 5 September 2018), 2018-09-05 official text · verified 2026-10-28

7. The Consumer Arbitration System resolves consumer disputes in a simple, free, fast and binding way through arbitral bodies with arbitrators nominated by business, consumer and government representatives. A final consumer award and a conciliation record between consumer and supplier are executive titles under art. 688 of the Civil Procedure Code. Non compliance is an infraction: the supplier is automatically fined up to the maximum, payable within five days, and INDECOPI can double the fine successively and without limit until compliance.
Cost to do it: Consumer arbitration is free; the risk is escalating fines for not complying with an agreement or award.
Example: A gym that settles with a member to refund a fee and then fails to pay faces an automatic fine plus doubling fines. / A supplier ignoring a US$1,000 consumer award can end up paying fines far above the award, because they double until it complies.Código de Protección y Defensa del Consumidor, Ley Nº 29571 (El Peruano, 2 September 2010), Editora Perú updated text of 12 February 2026, Art. 137, 138, 139 and 144, 2010-09-02 official text · verified 2026-10-28

Category	Maximum	PEN	USD (approx.)
Minor	Warning or 50 UIT	S/ 275,000	US$79,664
Serious	150 UIT	S/ 825,000	US$238,992
Very serious	450 UIT	S/ 2,475,000	US$716,976
Breach of conciliation agreement or award	1 to 200 UIT	S/ 5,500 to S/ 1,100,000	US$1,593 to US$318,656
Microenterprise cap	10 percent of prior year sales	Depends on sales	Depends on sales
Small enterprise cap	20 percent of prior year sales	Depends on sales	Depends on sales

Consumer fines under art. 110 at the 2026 UIT of S/ 5,500

Worked example

A Canadian online retailer ships electronics to Peruvian consumers through its own site. It must post a permanent link to a virtual complaints book and answer complaints within 15 business days; without a local complaints system it must at least keep an email channel. A customer disputes a S/ 3,000 (US$869) laptop: the claim is below 3 UIT (S/ 16,500), so INDECOPI's summary procedure applies.
If the retailer settles with the customer and then fails to refund, the breach is fined between 1 and 200 UIT (S/ 5,500 to S/ 1,100,000), and the settlement itself is an executive title the customer can enforce in court.

Step by step

Set up a physical or virtual complaints book and, for digital sales, a permanently visible link and an accessible complaint channel.
Build a complaint handling process that answers within 15 business days and never requires prior payment.
Classify incoming complaints: up to 3 UIT or about non delivery, abusive collection or unanswered claims go to the summary procedure.
Settle early where possible; an agreement can end the INDECOPI case but must then be complied with strictly.
Monitor collective exposure where the same practice affects many consumers.

Common traps

The 15 business day complaint deadline cannot be extended, and not answering is enough to be fined regardless of the amount.
Foreign e commerce suppliers that target Peru are covered: complaints book, visible link and, at minimum, an email channel.
Microentrepreneurs can qualify as consumers for purchases outside their line of business.
Breaching a consumer settlement or award triggers automatic fines that double without limit until compliance.
Rules for digital commerce changed in November 2025 and February 2026; review onboarding and returns flows accordingly.

Sources

← Pre suit conciliation and mediation in Peru: when conciliation is mandatory, the procedure, sanctions and enforceable agreementsLimitation periods in Peru: civil prescription and caducidad, tax and labour periods, and the short statutory deadlines that kill claims →

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