© PDST Home Economics
Why consumer protection?
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Stops manufacturers or retailers
taking advantage of consumers
Protects the rights of consumers
Ensures consumers gets redress
if needed
Consumer Information Act 1978
Protects the consumer against
false or misleading claims about goods or services
Forbids false or misleading information about the
 Price
 Previous price
 Recommended retail price of goods or services
Examples of claims
Goods
100% cotton
 Made in Ireland
 Waterproof
 Free from artificial
colours
 Low fat
 Real leather
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Services
24 hour service
 1 hour photos
 Delivery to all areas
 Irelands most punctual
airline
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Claims about prices
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Cannot be charged more than displayed price
Read carefully e.g. “From €10 “ is legal
Crossed out price replaced by lower price must be true
Sale of Goods and
Supply of Services Act 1980
This act states that goods must be:
 merchantable quality
 fit for purpose
 as described
 same as the sample
Illegal to display such signs as:
“no money refunds”
“no liability accepted for faulty goods”
“credits notes only given on returned goods”
“sale goods non-returnable”
Redress for faulty goods
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Redress means: to set right, make amends
Under the Sale of Goods Act 1980
compensation may be given if goods are faulty
The type and amount depends on:
How serious the fault is
When the fault occurs
How soon the consumer complains
Types of Redress
Cash Refund
 Repair
 Replacement
 Credit note
 Partial compensation
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Services
The Sale of Goods and
Supply of Services act
1980 states that :
 The supplier of
services must have the
necessary skills
 The materials used
must be of
merchantable quality
 The service must be
carried out with due
care and attention
Redress:
If these terms are broken
the consumer can:
 Get a full refund
 Partial compensation
 Some other remedy e.g.
Job redone free of
charge
Caveat emptor
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Let the buyer beware
No law can protect
careless consumers
Guarantees
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A contract between the manufacturer and the
consumer that the product you buy will be
satisfactory for a stated length of time
Covered by the Sale of Goods Act 1980.
Guarantee is an added bonus it does not affect
your consumer rights
Consumer Complaints
Consumer Complaints
If goods are faulty or not what they should be
a consumer has the right to complain and
may get a full refund if :
 Goods were not able, from the beginning, to
do what they were supposed to do
 The goods were not as described
 The consumer was totally mislead
The consumer can refuse
a replacement, repair or credit note and
DEMAND their money back
Consumer Complaints
Consumers can loose their rights if :
 They alter the good in any way
 They wait too long after finding the fault
before returning the goods
A consumer not entitled to a full refund may get a
partial refund, repair or credit note
Unjustified Complaints
Consumer complaints are not justified if:
the goods were misused or abused
 the fault was shown before purchase
 consumer changes their minds
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Making a Complaint
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Return to shop with goods and receipt a.s.a.p.
Ask for manager, explain the problem and what you want
the shop to do, be realistic about compensation
Contact head office (chain store), trade association, or
consumer organisation if complaint ignored
The Small Claims court deals cheaply and quickly with
disputes less than €2000. Use if complaint still not
sorted.
Consumer Organisations
Statutory/government
 Voluntary Organisations
Agencies
Consumers Association of
National Consumer Agency
Ireland(CAI)
(NCA )
 Informs people about
 Enforces consumer law,
consumer issues through
informs public of their
the media and Consumer
rights
Choice magazine.
Office of Ombudsman
 Lobbies government to
improve consumer law
 Investigates complaints
against public bodies
Advertising Standards
e.g. Government
Authority for Ireland
departments, local
(ASAI)
authority, HSE, An Post  Ensures adverts are legal
decent honest truthful
Complaining by Letter
Description of goods : make, model, number, brand etc.
 Where and when it was bought?
 Send a copy of receipt
 Briefly describe what the problem is
 What you have done about it so far
 What you expect the company to do
 Keep a copy of the letter and send it by registered
post
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