Competent Consumer 2

Consumer Rights

1. Honest & truthful information

2. Choice

3. Safety

4. Value for money

5. Redress : refund, repair, replacement

Consumer Responsibilities

1. Know you consumer rights

2. Know your consumer laws

3. Read labels & follow manufacturer’s instructions

4. Complain when law is broken

Sources of Consumer Information

1. CCPC

2. Reviews

3. Sales people

4. Word of mouth

The Consumer Protection Act 2007

• Protects consumers against false or misleading claims made about goods, services and prices

The Sales of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980

Goods must be

• Of merchantable quality

• Fit for purpose

• Conform to sample

• As described

Services must be

• Done by a fully qualified person

• Tools/materials must be of merchantable quality

Guarantee

A contract between the consumer and manufacturer that the product you buy will be of good quality for a certain period of time

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC)

• To offer help, advice & support to consumers

• To enforce consumer laws

• To investigate if a consumer law has been broken

• A source of information for consumers

Office of the Ombudsman

Investigates claims about public bodies e.g. HSE and makes recommendations e.g. compensation due or apology

The Consumers’ Association of Ireland

• Publishes Consumer Choice magazine

• Source of information for consumers

• Offers help, advice & support

• Lobbies government to improve consumer laws

The Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (ASAI)

• Monitors ads

• Promotes legal. honest, decent, truthful ads

• Receives complaints about ads

• Can remove unsuitable ads

The Small Claims Court

• Deals with claims up to €2,000 for faulty goods, bad workmanship or damage to property

• Quick and cheap to apply - €25