Spain will have for the first time a Ministry of Consumption, which will be directed by Alberto Garzón and will regulate everything related to consumer rights. Little is known about their competencies and what is known is more because of the noise in social networks that the leader of the United Left has made.

With Garzón in the Government, there will be a representative of a communist party and, in theory, this will be translated into consumer policies developed by the ministry. At the moment it is known that the department will have competitions on bookmakers.

According to Javier Rivas, professor at EAE Business School, the easiest thing to anticipate in this ministry is his position on the game: "which is known, advertising restriction, greater controls to prevent minors from playing, reduction of opening hours, and maybe even prohibition of some concrete bets such as sports. "

Bets

The position on the opening of gambling houses in the vicinity of schools is also known in this area. It is possible that a moratorium on this may arise. OCU requires that "the regulations on advertising of the game that prohibit the advertising of bets and online gambling be addressed, in addition to hardening the access controls to the rooms and limiting the proliferation of gaming venues."

According to Rivas, "the challenge that Garzón can face is precisely the scope of the competences", as some are transferred to some autonomous communities and in other areas some licenses are granted by the municipalities.

As for Consumption, Garzón, an active user on Twitter, has expressed his predilection for the consumption model of Cuba, which he has defined as sustainable. Consumer associations, for the moment, value positively that this ministry has been created.

"The creation of a consumer ministry can be a positive element that boosts its policies and reinforces its mainstreaming, but at the same time a profound reform of the competences in this area is necessary to improve its coordination and effectiveness," they said the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU).

Sustainable consumption

For Professor Javier Rivas, within this area, "unquestionably, sustainable consumption will be the axis on which he must articulate important challenges in the coming years."

The reduction in the consumption of plastics and other contaminating materials or food waste are some of the challenges that have been addressed for some time in the different sectors involved.

Plastics

Distribution companies, supermarket chains and manufacturers and brands have long been planning measures to reduce plastics. Most supermarkets have already eliminated single-use bags, for example. This will be one of the areas in which, in theory, the new ministry will have to work, in collaboration with the Energy Transition.

"It is unclear how all these measures will be carried out, but surely there will be a need for strict consumption regulations in certain areas such as single-use plastics, which will have to be accompanied by budgetary and fiscal measures" , says Rivas.

Other measures

OCU lists another series of measures that, they consider, should be addressed by the new ministry, such as the improvement of food labeling, the regulation of new online platforms , so that "transparency requirements are established on search websites", the improvement of product safety and consumer protection.

At this point, consumer associations believe that "it is necessary to provide more effective protection mechanisms for consumers, to ensure that their basic rights are applied effectively, providing binding to the resolutions of the Administration and allowing compensation and compensation for damage to consumers who are forced to file a claim. "

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