Brazil Procon agencies fine supermarkets, banks and fuel stations

Consumer protection authorities in Brazil have launched a series of enforcement actions. In Feira de Santana, the municipal Procon notified a wholesale supermarket for requiring customers to be present at the moment a raffle prize is drawn, a practice it said violates the Consumer Defense Code. The same agency also fined two banks for breaching the local “15‑minute law” that limits queue wait times, citing missing ticket machines and long delays for elderly customers.

In João Pessoa, the Procon’s Operation "Combustível Seguro" shut down a gasoline pump nozzle found to dispense less fuel than indicated and is testing fuel samples in a university laboratory. Junior Pires, the Procon secretary, said the operation targets price hikes, poor quality and incorrect volumes. Arapongas’ Procon was highlighted as a model, receiving technical visits from neighbouring municipalities and showcasing its partnership with the Paraná State Court of Justice.

Further actions include Codecon’s fine on a shopping centre for demanding vehicle registration and personal data to use its parking, Campina Grande’s seizure of dozens of expired or spoiled food items, Rio de Janeiro’s joint SEDCON‑PROCON raid that disposed of 66 kg of unsafe foods, and Minas Gerais’ Procon-MPMG autuations of 12 fuel stations for faulty measuring equipment and missing price information.