81312979 - Support for improvements in consumer protection implementation in Cambodia

Cambodia has made significant strides in establishing a consumer protection framework; with the establishment of the Law on Consumer Protection in 2019, alongside other relevant laws, such as e-commerce law (2019), competition law (2021), and food safety law (2022). The establishment of the Consumer Protection, Competition, and Fraud Repression Directorate-General (CCF) in 2020 under the Ministry of Commerce is a crucial step towards effective enforcement. CCF oversees the implementation of consumer protection laws, handling consumer complaints, and conducting market surveillance to ensure compliance. The National Consumer Protection Programme (NCPP) established in 2022 serves as the key legal and strategic document for all stakeholders to develop policies, action plans, and implementation mechanisms that adhere to the protection of consumer rights and interests. In addition, two consumer associations in food safety and health care sectors are to be established, pending their final registration formalities. However, challenges remain, particularly in the areas of law enforcement, consumer engagement, and business compliance. Weak enforcement is characterized by the lack of progress benchmarking, which limits understanding of achievements, bridging links, and addressing gaps. Institutional capacity constraints hinder effective implementation and oversight of consumer protection measures. The absence of systematic data collection and monitoring makes it difficult for authorities to track trends, identify systemic problems, and measure the effectiveness of initiatives. This also weakens the complaint resolution mechanism. The rapid growth of digital transformation in businesses and e-commerce presents new challenges, as there are no established guidelines to ensure that online businesses conform to good practices in consumer protection. Minimal consumer engagement and business compliance exacerbate the problem. Consumer associations remain inactive, leaving a significant gap in collective advocacy efforts. Consumers often lack awareness of their rights and available protection measures, while insufficient advocacy and dissemination of information on consumer protection further reduce visibility and prioritization of these issues. These challenges underscore the need for targeted interventions to strengthen enforcement mechanisms, enhance consumer engagement, and improve business compliance.