Instituto Brasileiro de Defesa do Consumidor (IDEC)

The main objectives of IDEC are to contribute to a balanced and fair marketplace, enforce and enhance consumer legislation; to promote consumer welfare, to improve the standards of sustainable consumption and to further the goals of democracy by stimulating citizen awareness and participation. IDEC tests and evaluates products and services (including public services) and produces ground-breaking research through reports and case studies, the findings of which are disseminated through their monthly magazine ‘Revista do Idec’ and sent to members and subscribers throughout Brasil.

IDEC handles about 20,000 complaints from consumers every year: they mainly concern health insurances, the banking sector and telecommunications. IDEC's interest in sustainable consumption started a long time ago. It produced a ‘Guide on Sustainable Consumption’ for the Ministry for Environment which is used as a school teacher manual. More recently, IDEC linked sustainable consumption to climate change urging consumers to change the way they consume rather than change the climate.