BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 12. Protecting consumer rights in e-commerce and digital services remains critically important, said Jafar Babayev, First Deputy Chairman of the State Service for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control under the President of Azerbaijan, Trend reports.
Speaking at the forum titled “Consumers in the Modern Digital World: E-commerce, Digital Services and Security Issues,” held in Baku on the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day, Babayev noted that disputes in the digital sphere account for a significant share of consumer complaints.
“Analyses for 2025 show that around 30% of appeals submitted to the agency regarding disputes between consumers and producing entities are related to the digital sphere,” he said.
According to Babayev, data from the Central Bank of Azerbaijan show a consistent annual increase in both the number and value of transactions conducted on electronic platforms.
“To safeguard consumer rights in this rapidly expanding sector, the agency, as a state authority, exercises a range of powers established by law. At the same time, we complement these legal instruments with the use of ‘soft power’ measures to ensure comprehensive protection for consumers,” Babayev explained.
He further noted that the changing dynamics of the e-commerce sector necessitate a fresh approach to traditional consumer–entrepreneur relationships.
“The relations formed in the field of electronic commerce show that it is already necessary to approach traditional consumer–entrepreneur relations from a different perspective. For this reason, we regularly hold meetings with the owners of electronic platforms and entrepreneurs, emphasizing during these discussions the importance of keeping consumer rights constantly in focus. At the same time, our work with consumers continues. The most powerful tool we have in this field is awareness-raising. Through educational initiatives, consumers are provided with detailed information about the rights granted to them under legislation and are informed about how they can protect themselves from the risks they may encounter during electronic commerce,” he added.
Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel