Café Chaos: Moroccan Customer Denied Coffee Sparks Legal Battle

Once on site, the bailiff drew up a report noting the waiter’s refusal to satisfy the customer, an act that could constitute a violation of the law on consumer protection, in particular Article 57 which protects the consumer against any discrimination or arbitrary treatment by service providers.

The customer can take legal action against the café to claim damages. He can also prosecute the establishment criminally for "discrimination", under Article 431-2 of the Moroccan Penal Code, which punishes with imprisonment and a fine any person who refuses to provide a service to someone because of their affiliation or status.

In a decision handed down in 2020, the Court of Cassation considered that the fact of prohibiting a person from accessing transport services or purchasing constitutes an offense of discrimination punishable by sanction. This case law establishes the principle of equal access to services.