Chapter 8 - Consumer Rights

Consumer

A person who buys goods and services for their own use

Being a good consumer

Know their rights and responsibilities

Shop around to compare quality and price

Be informed to avoid buying on impulse

Proof of purchase

Something that shows a consumer has paid for an item. The consumer will need this if they want to return the item e.g receipt

Date and time of purchase

Details and prices of items purchased

The total amount paid

Food labels

Name of product

A list of all ingredients, along with their individual qualities

The net quantity of the product

Any special storage conditions or conditions of use

Barcode

Name

Price

Country of origin

Contract

A legal agreement between two or more people

Consumer laws : Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980

Merchantable quality : goods (or any parts supplied in a service) should be of reasonable quality, taking into account their intended use and price

Fit for purpose : Goods (lr any parts supplied in a service) should be fit for the purpose intended.

As described : Goods should match their description.

Correspond to the sample : Goods bought based on a sample should be the same as the sample shown.

Services should be carried out with attention and care, and carried out by someone with the necessary skills and qualifications

It also states the retailer is responsible for dealing with consumer complaints.

If goods are faulty, the consumer is entitled to 

A refund : their money back

A repair : the retailer takes responsibility for having the product fixed

A replacement : a new product to replace the faulty one

Cant demand refund if they change their mind about an item or decide that the color or size is worng

Retailer

A person or business that sells goods directly to the public

Manufacturer

A person or business who makes goods

Guarantee or warranty

A written promise from a manufacturer to repair, refund or replace faulty goods within a given period of time after purchase

Consumer Protection Act 2007

Information : Information about products or services must not be false or misleading to the consumer

Prices : Information about prices must not be false or misleading to customers. E.g If the price of an item is advertised as having been reduced, it must have been the previous price for 28 consecutive days in the past 3 months

Total prices must be stated clearly with no hidden extra e.g VAT

Anti-consumer practices : It states that misleading, unfair and aggressive trading practices are illegal

Sellers cannot make false claims about their goods or services or put pressure on customers to buy

Advertising

Competition

Rivalry between the sellers of goods and services to win consumers’ business

Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014

This act is overseen by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). The main functions of the CCPC under this law are

Enforcing product safety regulations and warning consumers about products that may be dangerous

Providing information to consumers to help them make informed decisions

Making sure there is fair competition in Ireland

The CCPC has the power to fine or prosecute a busines that breaks consumer law. The CCPC replaced the National Consumer Agency (NCA) in 2014

Distance selling

The sale and purchase of goods and services that does not take place in person e.g online shopping

E-commerce

The sale and purchases of goods and services on the internet

Benefits of Online shopping

Very convenient as it can be done from the comfort of home

It is often cheaper as prices can be compared easily and websites don’t have the same business costs as physical shops (e.g rent)

Proof of purchase is stored electronically, whereas physical receipts can be misplaced or lost

Risks of Online Shopping

Ease of purchase can lead to impulse buying and debt

Physical shops make fewer sales and may be forced to close, making our towns and cities less vibrant

Consumers dont get to examine or try the goods before purchase

Trade associations

Investigate and try to sort out problems that consumers have in a specific industry

The Office of the Ombudsman

Investigates complaints from memeber of the public against public bodies

The Small Claims procedure

Gives consumer a cheap and fast way to settle a dispute legally without the need for a solicitor

The Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland

ASAI

Promotes good advertising standards in Ireland