The Department of Economic Affairs’s (DEACI) Inspectors will do routine inspections to enforce compliance with the established Price Ordinance/Ley di Prijs.

The goal of this regulatory oversight of the Price Ordinance is to enforce compliance by merchants with prices for essential goods (the basic basket of goods/canasta basico) established by the government. The Department of Economic Affairs, Commerce and Industry (DEACI) has oversight of the Price Ordinance, specifically the management and enforcement thereof for products for both the basic basket and non-basic basket on supermarket shelves.

As a result of the change in the “Ley di Prijs”, as of August 15, 2026, the government imposes an administrative fine on all supermarkets and major distributors that do not comply with the established maximum prices stipulated for products in the canasta basico.

DEACI inspectors conduct routine checks and respond to complaints across all supermarkets. During these controls, they check whether prices comply with regulations and are clearly displayed.  In the event of a breach of the law, the official legal procedure will be followed, which may result in an order subject to a penalty payment or a fine.