Countries › Peru › Guide › 13. Regulation › Consumer protection in Peru: information duties, complaints book, 15 day response, e-commerce rules for foreign sellers and INDECOPI fines

Consumer protection in Peru: information duties, complaints book, 15 day response, e-commerce rules for foreign sellers and INDECOPI fines

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

Peru's Consumer Protection Code (Ley Nº 29571) applies to every consumer relationship formed in Peru or producing effects here, and INDECOPI enforces it with fines of up to 50, 150 or 450 UIT (up to S/ 2.475 million), plus up to 5 UIT on each manager involved. Every shop and every e-commerce platform must keep a physical or virtual complaints book, and providers must answer complaints within 15 business days. Information must be in Spanish, and unsolicited marketing calls and messages are banned without prior express consent. A February 2026 decree added duties for digital sellers: working complaint channels, at least an email address for foreign sellers targeting Peru without one, and a ban on manipulative interface design.

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 based amounts use the 2026 UIT of S/ 5,500 set by Decreto Supremo Nº 301-2025-EF, as listed in the SUNAT UIT table. Fines expressed in UIT are paid at the UIT in force on the payment date. Conversions are for orientation only.

Key facts

Maximum consumer protection fine, very serious infringement	450 UITLey Nº 29571 art. 110 c), as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Maximum fine on each manager involved	5 UITLey Nº 29571 art. 111, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Provider deadline 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 mandatory for shops and e-commerce platforms	Yes Ley Nº 29571 art. 150 (Ley Nº 32495), as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Limitation period for consumer infringements	2 yearsLey Nº 29571 art. 121, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Fee for a consumer complaint to INDECOPI	36.00 PENTUPA INDECOPI procedure PA14002A3B, as of 2026-10-28 · in force

The rule

1. The Code protects consumers directly or indirectly exposed to a consumer relationship, and applies to relationships entered into in Peru or whose effects occur here, including free offers made for a commercial purpose. Consumers are natural or legal persons who acquire or use goods or services as final users outside a business activity, and micro entrepreneurs in a situation of information asymmetry about products outside their line of business. INDECOPI is the authority with primary national competence unless a law assigns it to another body.
Cost to do it: No fee to comply; consumer compliance programmes are a private cost.
Example: A small Lima bakery buying an accounting software licence can be a consumer under art. IV 1.2 if it shows information asymmetry, because software is outside its line of business. / A foreign online store selling to buyers in Peru falls under the Code because the effects occur in Peru (art. III.2).Ley Nº 29571, Código de Protección y Defensa del Consumidor (El Peruano, 2 September 2010), Editora Perú text updated to 12 February 2026, Art. III, art. IV num. 1 and art. 105, 2010-09-02 official text · verified 2026-10-28

2. Providers must give consumers all relevant information for an informed decision, truthful, sufficient, timely, easily accessible and in Spanish. For imported products, information on ingredients, components, warranty terms, user manuals and warnings must be in Spanish. If prices differ by payment method, this must be displayed visibly; otherwise the consumer cannot be charged extra.
Cost to do it: Spanish labelling, manuals and warranties for imported goods; translation and relabelling costs before sale.
Example: An importer of US kitchen appliances must add Spanish manuals and warranty terms before putting them on sale in Peru. / Charging a 5 percent card surcharge that is not displayed in the shop means the consumer pays the posted price.Ley Nº 29571, Art. 2.1, art. 2.2, art. 7.1 and art. 8, 2010-09-02 official text · verified 2026-10-28

3. Providers must answer consumer complaints within 15 business days, a term that cannot be extended, and cannot make the handling of a complaint conditional on prior payment. Since February 2026, sellers through platforms, apps or other digital channels must have accessible, effective and permanently working complaint and dispute channels with no unnecessary costs, and non domiciled sellers targeting the Peruvian market that lack such mechanisms must at least keep a working email address for questions, complaints, exchanges and returns. Every commercial establishment and every e-commerce platform must have a physical or virtual complaints book, display a visible notice of it (platforms, a permanent link), and send its contents to INDECOPI when required.
Cost to do it: A virtual complaints book and a staffed complaints channel; no fee to INDECOPI.
Example: A complaint lodged in the virtual complaints book on Monday 2 November 2026 must be answered by about 23 November 2026, 15 business days later, depending on holidays. / A US marketplace seller shipping to Peru with no local complaints channel must at least keep an email address operational for Peruvian buyers.Ley Nº 29571 art. 24.1 (as amended by Ley Nº 31435, 22 March 2022), art. 24.4 and 24.5 (added by Decreto Legislativo Nº 1729, 12 February 2026), art. 150 to 152 (as amended by Ley Nº 32495, 11 November 2025), Art. 24.1 to 24.5 and art. 150 to 152, 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 digital complaint channels and non domiciled sellers, and art. 56.1 h) on manipulative interface design; Ley Nº 32495 (11 November 2025) extended the complaints book to e-commerce platforms.

4. Coercive and aggressive commercial methods are prohibited: tying non complementary products in continuing contracts, charging for services not requested (silence is not consent), changing terms without express consent, unreasonable limits on terminating contracts, and, since February 2026, designing or configuring online interfaces to limit, distort or manipulate consumers' freedom of choice to their detriment. Using call centres, phone calls, text messages or mass electronic messages to promote products is banned unless the consumer contacted the provider on their own initiative and gave free, prior, informed, express and unequivocal consent, revocable at any time; a breach is a very serious infringement.
Cost to do it: Consent management for marketing; a very serious breach can reach 450 UIT.
Example: An insurer that cold calls prospects from a purchased list breaches art. 58.1 e), a very serious infringement with a fine of up to 450 UIT, S/ 2,475,000. / About US$716,976 at the top of the scale.Ley Nº 29571 art. 56.1 (letter h added by Decreto Legislativo Nº 1729) and art. 58.1 e) (as amended by Ley Nº 32323, 9 May 2025), Art. 56.1 and art. 58.1 e), 2025-05-09 official text · verified 2026-10-28

5. INDECOPI can sanction infringements with a warning or fines of up to 50 UIT for minor, 150 UIT for serious and 450 UIT for very serious infringements. For microenterprises the fine cannot exceed 10 percent, and for small enterprises 20 percent, of the previous year's sales, if they prove their income, are not repeat offenders and the case does not involve consumers' life, health or safety. Managers and representatives who took part with intent or gross negligence can be fined up to 5 UIT each. Fines are graded on illicit benefit, probability of detection, harm, market effects and the type of harm, with aggravating and mitigating factors. Infringements lapse two years after they were committed or ceased.
Cost to do it: Up to S/ 2,475,000 per very serious infringement and S/ 27,500 per manager.
Example: A serious infringement fined 60 UIT is S/ 330,000; a small enterprise with S/ 1.2 million of sales would be capped at 20 percent, S/ 240,000, if it qualifies. / About US$95,597 for 60 UIT; US$69,525 under the small enterprise cap.Ley Nº 29571, Art. 110, art. 111, art. 112 and art. 121, 2010-09-02 official text · verified 2026-10-28

6. Consumers can file a complaint with INDECOPI for S/ 36.00, handled in up to 120 business days, or use the summary procedure (also S/ 36.00, 30 business days) for simpler cases; both carry negative administrative silence.
Cost to do it: S/ 36 per complaint, about US$10.43, which makes consumer complaints cheap to bring.
Example: A customer whose refund request was ignored can file a summary complaint for S/ 36 and expect a first instance decision in about 30 business days. / About US$10.43 to file.TUPA del INDECOPI (DS Nº 088-2025-PCM, consolidated with Res. Nº 000047-2026-PRE/INDECOPI of 13 May 2026), Procedures 'Denuncia por Infracciones a las Normas sobre Protección al Consumidor' (PA14002A3B) and 'Procedimiento Sumarísimo de Protección al Consumidor', 2026-05-13 official text · verified 2026-10-28

Category	Fine cap	S/ at 2026 UIT	US$
Minor	Warning or up to 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
Each manager involved	5 UIT	S/ 27,500	US$7,966

Consumer protection fines under Ley Nº 29571 art. 110 and 111; micro and small enterprises have caps of 10 and 20 percent of prior year sales when the conditions apply.

Worked example

A foreign fashion e-shop sells to Peruvian buyers, hides a non refundable delivery fee until the last checkout step and has no complaints channel. Under the Code it must disclose the full price, keep at least an email for complaints and returns (art. 24.5) and answer within 15 business days. A buyer files a S/ 36 complaint; if INDECOPI treats the hidden fee as a serious infringement, the fine can reach 150 UIT, S/ 825,000 (about US$238,992).

Step by step

Translate labels, manuals, warranties and terms into Spanish before selling in Peru.
Set up a physical or virtual complaints book and a visible notice or permanent link on the platform.
Route complaints to a team that answers within 15 business days and keeps evidence of the reply.
Collect express, revocable consent before any marketing call, text or mass email.
Audit checkout and cancellation flows for manipulative design under art. 56.1 h).
Train managers: they can be fined personally up to 5 UIT.

Common traps

The 15 business day response term cannot be extended.
Silence is never consent to new charges or changed terms.
Cold calling and mass messaging without prior consent is a very serious infringement.
Foreign e-commerce sellers targeting Peru are covered, even with no Peruvian entity.
The micro and small enterprise caps do not apply to repeat offenders or cases involving health or safety.

Sources

← Unfair competition and advertising rules in Peru: deceptive claims, comparative ads, trade secrets, price display and INDECOPI finesPersonal data protection in Peru: who is covered, database registration, cross border transfers, 48 hour breach notice, data protection officers and fines →

Get rule changes weekly

Free. One email a week from The LatAm Thread.

One more step after you press the button: we take you to Substack, where your email is already filled in. Confirm there to start. No spam, unsubscribe anytime, we never share your address. By subscribing you agree to the privacy policy.