consumer protection

• reasons for consumer protection

  1. profit motive
  2. unsafe products
  3. false information
  4. globalisation
  5. online buying can be misleading
  6. description of goods
  7. scientific advancements
  8. pressurized sales techniques
• legislations around consumer protection

  1. safe & supply of goods act
  2. competition policy
  3. environment protection
  4. trade description act
  5. customer credit act
  6. consumer protection
  7. data protection
  8. consumer protection from unfair trading
• what is legislation


  laws passed down from UK parliament affecting buisnesses
• what does consumer protection do


  give consumer confidence to purchase
• what does Trading Standards Department do

  check if local businesses are complying within various trading laws

  • ensure goods are accurately described, properly priced, and sold in correct quantities.
• What does CMA do

  Competition and Markets Authority

  • investigate businesses who restrict fair competition in market
• Safe & Supply of goods Act

  goods purchased online must be:

  1. acceptable quality
  2. zero defects
  3. fit for purpose
• Environmental Protection


  protect environment by lessening the impact businesses have on it
• Customer credit act


  controls the way businesses lending money operate
• Customer Protection Act


  states that businesses must act fairly towards consumer
• Consumer Protection from unfair trading 


  must not engage in unfair business activities such as:

  • aggressive sales techniques (harassment)
  • false/misleading information
• Trade Description Act


  products must:

  1. perform in the way advertised
  2. not have false info
• Data Protection Act


  businesses must not sell consumer details to other businesses without consumer consent
• Competition policy


  make sure that competition is fair in all markets
• Profit motive


  owners may get overwhelmed with drive to make profit and:

  • overcharge for unsatisfactory products
  • not fit for purpose products
• Unsafe products


  businesses aim to reduce costs so this may lead to products with defects or being lower quality
• Misleading online buying


  7 day cooling periods are used so that customers can cancel contracts
• Description of goods

  goods description may not match their description online
• Globalisation


  products being brought from abroad may not meet the standards of safety required by UK
• Scientific advancements


  newly developed products have to go through thorough testing before being sold to consumers
• Pressurized sales technique


  pressured to agree to purchase products consumers don't want or need

  aggressive sales techniques used - customers are exploited
• Unfair advertising/false info

  in order to increase sales businesses may put out misleading information