Brazil guarantees consumers rights when purchasing Mobile Devices

Brazil orders the suspension of iPhone sales without a charger, and fines Apple more than US$ 2.3 million. The Ministry of Justice’s National Consumer Bureau says the Tech Giant’s measure harms consumer rights and finances while granting astounding economic gains to the company.

The decision published on the Official Gazette last Tuesday, cancels the license of iPhone brand smartphones from the iPhone 12 model on, and suspends the supply of all iPhone-branded smartphones, regardless of model or generation, unaccompanied by a battery charger.

According to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, Apple has been sued for “selling an incomplete product or a product lacking an essential feature, refusing to sell a complete product by discriminating against consumers, and transferring responsibility to third parties”.

Apple claims its decision was based on environmental concerns, and aimed at encouraging sustainable consumption. For the government, the arguments did not suffice, as the company’s decision to sell the devices without chargers ended up shifting the entire burden onto consumers.

The National Consumers Bureau argues that the manufacturer could take other measures to reduce environmental impact, such as the use of USB-C type cable and charger connectors, adopted as standard by the industry today. The company may still appeal the decision.