Online shoppers in Madeira continue to face refusals to sell, website redirects and delivery problems, despite a fall in formal complaints, regional officials have warned.
The issue was discussed at a “Parliamentary Commitment” event on geo-blocking, organised by the PSD Madeira Parliamentary Group at the Legislative Assembly of Madeira.
Sónia Menezes, of the Regional Authority for Economic Activities (ARAE), said the authority had recorded 52 collective complaints in 2022, 36 in 2023 and 24 in 2024. It received two by the end of May 2025. However, she said more than two dozen complaints had arrived between August and the Friday before the event.
An ARAE inspection programme targeting online sales platforms identified seven infringements, six of which involved refusals to sell to consumers in Madeira. Menezes said some shoppers still have to use a friend’s address on the mainland to buy products and arrange their onward delivery to the island.
She also described cases in which customers were redirected to another sales platform without being properly informed. Some websites still refuse to accept Madeira postal codes.
Menezes said responsibility for investigating certain mainland-based platforms lies with ASAE, the national food and economic safety authority. ARAE and ASAE have agreed on a procedure to speed up the transfer of complaints between them. She called for stronger penalties, arguing that current fines are too low to deter breaches.
Vânia Jesus, a deputy in the Assembly of the Republic, said the barriers were a matter of consumer rights and territorial cohesion. She called for a review of whether the shortcomings lie in the law, its enforcement, or coordination between authorities. She also sought greater transparency about how complaints are handled and what sanctions follow.
Delivery charges were another concern. Jesus acknowledged that shipping to an island can cost more, but cited examples of products priced at around €9 or €10 carrying delivery charges of €29, €30 or more.
The discussion also included Carlota Mendonça of CTT and was moderated by regional deputy Bruno Melim.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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