Shopping in Burkina Faso

Everyday purchases include grains, tubers, fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, household and personal-care goods, clothing, shoes, telecommunications equipment and other electronics. Local markets, market stalls, boutiques, épiceries and specialist shops are widely used. Friperie offers second-hand clothing, while Made in Burkina identifies an official visibility and ordering platform for products from approved producers. Product choice, price and quality can differ substantially between a market, neighbourhood shop, formal retailer and online seller. Ask for the seller's identity, storage location, delivery arrangements and full price before ordering. No reliable nationwide list of prices or delivery times was verified. Seasonal supply, location, sales channel, taxes, delivery charges, mobile-money fees and return costs can change the final amount. Check weight, unit, expiry date, packaging, serial number, radio or telecommunications approval where relevant, warranty terms and the availability of spare parts before paying for technical goods. Cash remains common. Payment options include Orange Money, Moov Money, Coris Money, Wave, Wizall, Telecel, BMoney and other bank or telecommunications services, as well as the Trésor Public card and GIM-UEMOA cards at some formal points of sale. PI-SPI, the UEMOA interoperable instant-payment system introduced on 30 September 2025, provides another possible channel where the provider supports it. Confirm the recipient, amount and transaction confirmation in the SMS or application, check fees and network or agent availability, and never disclose a PIN or one-time password. For distance purchases, Loi 045-2009/AN requires the provider to give information such as identity, address, contact details, product description, total price, delivery, payment, withdrawal and complaint conditions. An eligible buyer may have a withdrawal period of up to seven working days, with repayment without delay and no later than 30 days. Exceptions include personalised goods, rapidly perishable products and unsealed hygiene or health products. Social-media and telephone purchases need extra documentation: keep the advertisement, seller details, messages, payment proof, delivery terms and return conditions. Do not prepay until the seller and transaction can be verified. Under Loi 016-2017/AN, prices are generally freely set, although the minister may regulate particular goods after consultation with the Conseil National de la Consommation (CNCC). Arrêté 2024-00521 covers 27 product groups, including rice, oil, milk, sugar, cereals, building materials, pharmaceutical products, agricultural supplies and school supplies. Sellers should display prices and sales conditions. Labels should provide composition, technical characteristics, manufacturing information and expiry dates. French is the official language used for offers, instructions, warranties and invoices. Retail sellers provide a receipt, invoice or note de frais on request; industrial and equipment goods should have a warranty stating a clear minimum duration. Unfair contract clauses are prohibited, but no general right to return an unwanted in-store purchase was verified, so check the seller's policy and the applicable defect or warranty rules. The Ministry of Industrial Development, Commerce and Handicrafts (MICA) and the Brigade mobile de contrôle économique et de la répression des fraudes (BMCRF) inspect prices, markets and product quality. Report price violations, expired goods or suspicious packaging through 80 00 11 84, 80 00 11 85 or 80 00 11 86. The CNCC supports consumers and recognised consumer associations. For telecommunications, postal or payment-network complaints, contact the provider first and then the Autorité de régulation des communications électroniques et des postes (ARCEP); ARCEP complaints are free. The Agence burkinabè de normalisation, de la métrologie et de la qualité (ABNORM) handles standardisation, certification, quality control and measurement. A national conformity certificate can be a positive signal, but it does not automatically apply to every product. Loi 17, adopted on 30 December 2024, bans plastic packaging and bags subject to stated exceptions; enforcement and current shop practice should be checked locally. Reusable items, repair, friperie and locally certified products can reduce waste, while waste collection and recycling services remain uneven across the country.