The Competition Superintendence (CS) of El Salvador met with consumer associations to explain the benefits of competition. [1] The CS signed an agreement with the National Association for the Protection of Consumer Rights to train member associations on competition issues. [2] A guest lecturer from Costa Rica's consumer protection organization discussed how promoting competition has benefited consumers through lower prices and more choices. [3] The CS hopes to strengthen communication with consumer groups to further promote competition for economic efficiency and consumer welfare.

1. Press Release C. 28-12
El Salvador, October 10th, 2012.
CS Explained Benefits of Competition to Consumers
The Competition Superintendence (CS) met today with the representatives of consumers associations
from all the country to explain the benefits of competition. This is the third activity of the 2012
Competition Week which shall finalize tomorrow with the event “Competition and agro-industry:
Competition reports on rice and sugar markets”.
Increase consumer welfare is one of the purposes of the Salvadoran Competition
“The consumer can be
Law; the other is to increase economic efficiency. Hence, the importance for the CS
the big winner when that consumers associations come closer to competition issues and to create bonds
competition exists and for future joint work.
when economic agents
compete transparently During said event the CS and the National Association for the Protection of
for a clientele, offering Consumers Rights of El Salvador (hereinafter, APCES, its acronym in El Salvador)
better goods and signed a cooperation agreement that will allow to train the member associations as
services at lower prices. competition councilors of the communities where each of them work.
Competition benefits
everyone”, asserted The special guest of this event, Mr. Erick Ulate, President of Consumers of Costa
Francisco Diaz Rica gave a masterly lecture on how competition benefits the consumer through
Rodriguez, Competition various Costa Rican cases on how promoting competition has benefited the
Superintendent. population and how monopolies in sectors such as the liquid fuels sector, have
harmed the consumer. Furthermore, he emphasized on the importance of price
transparency to the consumer in order to choose the good or service that best meets
his/her economic resources, thus, allowing an optimized use of income.
In the afternoon, the CS carried out a training session on the Salvadoran
Competition Law and the CS´ work. The main goal of said activity was to explain
through real cases the benefits that market competition can offer consumers, as well as to strengthen the
communication channel with the aforementioned associations which key allies in the CS´ work of promoting
protecting, and guaranteeing competition for the benefit of consumers and economic efficiency.
About the lecturer
Erick Ulate. He has a degree in Political Science and Popular Education; has been councilor for the Minister of
Economy, Industry, and Commerce, 1998-2002; Vice-President of the Association for Integral Development of the
Waifs and Strays, 2001-2002. He has experience in the production of radio programs for political analysis;
columnist and essayist. He has received courses on popular education and consumption at international
institutions such as: Oregon State University, the Universidad de La Habana, and the Universidad de los
Trabajadores de América Latina (UTAL).