With classes officially beginning on Monday, parents are questioning whether a seller can make one schoolbook conditional on buying an entire bundle.
You need one schoolbook. The shop has it, but the seller says you can buy it only as part of a package containing other books, notebooks and supplies.
With classes officially beginning across Morocco on Monday, can families be forced to pay for products they do not need?
In principle, no. Article 57 of Morocco’s Consumer Protection Law prohibits making the sale of one product conditional on buying another. But the facts matter. Parents must distinguish an available individual book from an out-of-stock title or a set genuinely produced as one product.
SCHOOL PACK OR TIED SALE? KNOW THE DIFFERENCE
| Situation | Probably optional or required? | What to ask | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| The school provides a book list | Listed materials may be required | Which titles and editions are needed? | The written school list |
| The shop offers a complete package | Optional if items remain available separately | Can I buy only what I need? | Individual prices and stock |
| One available book is sold only with unrelated supplies | Potentially a prohibited tied sale | Will you sell the book alone? | The condition imposed |
| The book is genuinely out of stock | A sale may not be possible | When will it return? | Whether a copy is available |
| The publisher produced an indivisible set | It may constitute one product | Is an individual edition sold? | Packaging, ISBN and catalogue |
| The school recommends one supplier | Probably optional, but verify | May I buy the same edition elsewhere? | The school’s written wording |
| The school says one supplier is compulsory | Clarification is needed | What rule makes this compulsory? | A written explanation |
This is general consumer information, not legal advice. Individual cases may depend on the exact product, sales condition and school requirement.
CLASSES START MONDAY, AND FAMILIES ARE STILL BUYING BOOKS
The effective and compulsory start of classes for all educational levels and cycles is scheduled for Monday, September 7, under Morocco’s 2026-2027 school calendar.
That has concentrated demand into a busy final weekend.
Parents have complained on social media that some outlets are refusing to sell textbooks individually, combining books with notebooks and other supplies, or directing families to one seller.
Le360 visited several bookshops in Casablanca’s Habous district on September 5 and reported accounts from parents, retailers and consumer representatives.
MTD has not independently established how widespread these practices are. Complaints concerning certain outlets should not be projected onto Morocco’s entire bookselling sector.
WHAT IS A TIED SALE?
A tied sale occurs when a customer can obtain one product only by buying something else.
For example, a parent asks for one mathematics book. The book is available, but the seller will sell it only if the parent also buys notebooks, pens and several other books.
That differs from an optional package which the customer remains free to reject.
It also differs from a publisher supplying several components as one combined product, or from a shop that genuinely has no individual copy in stock.
The practical question is simple: can the parent buy the available book without being required to add other products?
WHAT ARTICLE 57 ACTUALLY SAYS
Article 57 of Consumer Protection Law No. 31-08 prohibits three relevant practices.
A supplier may not refuse to sell a product, good or service to a consumer without a legitimate reason.
A supplier may not make a sale conditional on purchasing an imposed quantity or simultaneously buying another product, good or service.
A supplier may also not make one service conditional on obtaining another service or purchasing a product.
Article 57 contains no express exception for products customarily sold together. However, a publisher-issued set may genuinely constitute one product. That is different from a retailer placing separately available goods into its own compulsory package.
Article 182 provides for fines of MAD 1,200 to MAD 10,000 for breaches of Articles 56 and 57 and their implementing texts. The fine is doubled for repeat offences under the conditions defined by law.
A complaint does not automatically prove an offence or trigger a fine. The competent authorities must assess the evidence and circumstances.
A SCHOOL LIST IS NOT THE SAME AS A SHOP PACKAGE
A school may identify the textbooks, editions, workbooks and learning materials pupils need.
A list containing several required educational items is not automatically the same as a retailer making one sale conditional on another.
Requiring a particular edition is also different from requiring everything to be purchased in one transaction or from one shop.
Parents directed to a particular supplier should ask whether the same titles and editions may be bought elsewhere. If the supplier is described as compulsory, request the school’s explanation in writing.
MTD did not locate an official rule establishing when a school may compel families to buy from one named private supplier. Parents should seek clarification without alleging an improper commercial arrangement unless there is evidence.
Keep the two questions separate: what does the student need for class, and what conditions is the seller imposing?
WHY SOME BOOKSELLERS SAY THE SYSTEM IS UNDER PRESSURE
Booksellers also describe a difficult rentrée.
One retailer interviewed by Le360 said margins on certain Pioneer Schools textbooks were between 5% and 10%, while very low-priced books generated only a minimal return.
Retailers have also pointed to delayed publication, unavailable titles, seasonal costs and competition from informal sellers.
These pressures may explain why some businesses want larger transactions. They do not, by themselves, override Article 57.
The Ligue des libraires du Maroc has warned against blaming the entire profession. It says professional booksellers sell textbooks individually and respect families’ freedom of choice.
A shop that genuinely has no individual copy available is not necessarily refusing a sale unlawfully. The key distinction is whether the book is unavailable, or whether an available copy is being withheld until additional products are bought.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO AT THE COUNTER
First, ask whether the individual book is physically available.
Request its separate price and ask clearly whether the package is optional or compulsory.
Remain calm. Do not confront staff or publish accusations before the facts are established.
Ask for a receipt or written price information. Keep relevant advertisements, messages or photographs of displayed prices. If possible, check another authorised seller offering the same title and edition.
IF A SHOP REFUSES TO SELL ONE BOOK
Confirm that the book is available.
Ask for the individual price.
Ask whether the package is optional.
Keep factual evidence of the sales condition.
Contact an official consumer service if necessary.
HOW TO ASK FOR HELP OR FILE A COMPLAINT
Morocco’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce directs consumers to the official Khidmat Al Mostahlik complaint portal.
The service accepts complaints and requests for information, then routes them to the relevant administration or consumer-protection association according to the issue.
A useful report should include:
The shop’s name and location
The date and approximate time
The product requested
Any displayed individual price
The package price
A receipt or written communication
A factual description of what happened
The portal allows supporting documents in PDF or image format, up to 5 MB.
Consumers may also seek guidance from a recognised consumer-protection association.
Chikaya handles complaints involving public administration. For a sales condition imposed by a private bookshop, Khidmat Al Mostahlik is the more directly relevant official starting point.
Submitting a complaint does not guarantee compensation, an inspection or a sanction. It creates a factual record and allows the competent organisation to examine what happened.
BUY WHAT THE STUDENT NEEDS, NOT WHAT PRESSURE ADDS
The final days before school are already expensive and stressful.
A complete package can save time when a family wants every item inside it. But convenience must remain a choice.
Parents should establish what the school requires, what the shop is offering and which additions they are free to refuse.
Buy what the student needs, not what pressure puts in the basket.