New proposals for consumer rights

No primary category set

The government has launched a new consultation on a consumer bill of rights, seeking your views on strengthening and modernising consumer law. This involves giving consumers the ability and the confidence to assert basic consumer rights when faced with shoddy goods or services.

Quite frankly the UK’s laws are a mish mash of outdated laws covering the likes of the Distance Selling Regulations and Sales of Goods Act amongst others. Most consumer law was written about thirty years ago and does not clearly cover digital content like music, software or games. The consultation proposes clear rights for consumers of digital content to bring the law up to date.

It covers everything from should a retailer be able to give a partial refund if a consumer has had use of faulty goods for a period of time to whether a consumer has a right to a refund for digital content.

The main aims of the consumer rights consultation

• Clarify the nature of consumers’ rights and remedies in relation to the supply of goods, which is currently an area where the law is unnecessarily complex.
• Bring the services regime more in line with the regime for goods, by strengthening consumer rights and remedies in relation to faulty services. The changes proposed include establishing a statutory guarantee and statutory remedies when the rights are breached, and the consultation also asks whether there should be a new legal right to certain services being judged on their outcome, rather than the way they are performed.
• Modernise the law on digital content to protect consumers, by establishing a clear digital content regime with its own tailored set of rights and associated remedies.

Norman Lamb, Minister for Consumer Affairs said “Businesses will benefit from the simplified set of rules, which are intended to clear up customer issues more quickly“. As an online retailer if you want to add your input to the consultation you have until the 5th October 2012 to make your views known.

Whilst this is still in the consultation stage it’s likely to impact every retailer and service supplier in the country, whether or not they trade online. We’d therefore encourage you to complete the online questionnaires on “Goods“, “Services” and “Digital Content” to ensure that your voice is heard.

One Response

  1. I think the current laws are pretty good. They might be 30 years old but they do the job nicely.

    To be honest judging by recent government body handling of affairs, id rather they not meddle with things they cant handle. In particular the way big industry lead they so easily with the donkey and carrot method of politics.

RELATED POSTS..

Amazon Fire TV counterfeit lawsuit

Amazon Fire TV counterfeit lawsuit

900m-Amazon-UK-Buy-Box-Claim

£900m Amazon UK Buy Box Claim

Etsy-pro-sellers-to-identify-as-Traders-shutterstock_1142692646

Etsy pro sellers to identify as Traders

Ukraine-flag-01-scaled

Amazon offers Ukrainian refugees free legal resources

Amazon-sues-‘fake-review-brokers-AppSally-and-Rebatest-shutterstock_1987581653

Amazon sues ‘fake review brokers’ AppSally and Rebatest

ChannelX Guide...

Featured in this article from the ChannelX Guide – companies that can help you grow and manage your business.

Register for Newsletter

Receive 5 newsletters per week

Gain access to all research

Be notified of upcoming events and webinars