Mercado dos Lavradores Scams Guests in The Heart of Funchal
Mercado dos Lavradores, in the center of Funchal, is Madeira’s most famous market. Visitors come here hoping to buy fresh products and support local vendors. But what many do not know is that they are one step away from being scammed and tricked into spending a serious amount of money, paying prices often ten times more than in regular shops.
Tourists are being overcharged, misled, or even pressured, leaving a negative impression of the island and its people and presenting the region as a treacherous region that allows fooling people who go there with the best intentions.
Visit Mercado dos Lavradores just for the pictures!! Dont you dare to buy anything there, you WILL BE SCAMMED!
Reddit User
How Illicit Practices at Mercado dos Lavradores Are Damaging Madeira’s Image
These issues make the headlines occasionally, when a foreign journalist investigates the market or when yet another scammed tourists shares his experiences on Tripadvisor. But once the story goes out, little to nothing changes. Authorities do not seem to intervene, and one wonders if there are inspections or penalties for dishonest vendors.
Unfortunately, many people also appear to tolerate these practices, either seeing them as a way to earn more from ‘rich tourists’ or because challenging these practices is difficult in a market dominated by family-run stalls. At best, everyone turns a blind eye.
Unfair practices persist, leaving tourists scammed, while Madeira is portrayed to the world as a corrupted, lawless destination where justice favors those who fool others the best.
€151.10 for a Bag of Fruit, Who Are You Kidding?
Be honest: would you pay €89/kilo for fruit? You would not! Yet, visitors are often faced with paying extremely high prices for ordinary fruits. These practices are not hidden, they happen openly in one of Madeira’s most iconic places, every single day. In the following case, see picture below for fruits and the corresponding bill, tourists were charged €151.10 for what easily fits in a single bag. Easily a most shocking overcharge that took place in September of this year.
Common Problems at Mercado dos Lavradores
The outrageously high prices are not the only way visitors are being tricked and exploited. Here are a few examples of how practices at Mercado dos Lavradores are going completely in the wrong direction.
1. Misleading Product Quality
Tourists often express dissatisfaction with the quality of products purchased, feeling that the items did not meet expectations given the premium prices and the displayed fruits & vegetables.
2. Unmarked Prices and Excessive Charges
Many stalls do not display prices, allowing vendors to charge tourists much more than locals.
We went down to the market this morning to buy a few things. I'd heard stories about extortionate pricing but had not experienced this first hand before. The fruit stall at the top of the stairs engaged us in a sales pitch, sampling little pieces of fruit. We were then presented with a bil for almost 10 euros for 1 maracuja, 2 small bananas and a lemon. Naturally we refused to pay this and left. We bought the same items at a local fruit shop across the road for less than 1 euro. (…) The local council consumer protection authorities need to take action.
Tourist, Tripadvisor
3. Sweetened Fruit Samples
Vendors are making tourists try samples that were sweetened, which do not taste anything like the product they eventually buy. Years back, German national TV even went as far as testing samples in a laboratory and confirmed that they were sweetened.
4. Aggressive Sales Tactics - “Broad Dailight Robbery”?
Some sellers use high-pressure tactics to encourage purchases. Free samples or personal attention can make visitors feel obliged to buy at extremely inflated costs.
I don’t like intrusive and tricky salesmen who bother tourists. Especially on the second floor of the building, we will be attacked by fruit sellers who often do not understand the words “Thank you, I am not interested”. This is the only such an unpleasant place in Madeira. Local people are usually nice and helpful, but some of the Mercado dos Lavradores sellers are a small exception…
Not only the selling (tricking) methods, but also the prices are shocking. In many cases, it is a broad daylight robbery.
5. Lack of Transparency
In some cases, tourists are not told the real price until after buying, leading to unexpected charges and frustration.
All tourists need to stop buying from this market. Hopefully they get the message that they will make 0$ if they want to scam people.
Facebook User, Madeira Travel Tips
A Call for Fair Practices and The Rule of Law
While Mercado dos Lavradores remains a key attraction in Madeira, these practices damage Madeira’s reputation. Transparency, honesty, and reasonable pricing in one of the islands most iconic spaces in the heart of Funchal are essential if Madeira wants to present itself as a welcoming and authentic destination.
Instead, it is widely known as a place where guests are exploited and scammed. It is what tourists take home and tell people about Madeira. Even local companies, car rental agencies, and hotels warn tourists against buying at one of Madeira’s most iconic spots. How long will this continue, and why?
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