Consumer Agency Flashcards
consumer agency
It is a supervisory authority from the state, safeguarding consumer rights.
They scrunitizr company marketing, offer education and advice.
Because of growth of advertising it is important to have the right information in order to compare prices and quality. Consumers need to trust.
Marketing Act
Protects costumers from misleading or aggresive advertising.
The information about a product must be true. There shouldn’t be any threath or violence and so on.
Direct radio and TV advertising is forbidden towards children under 12.
SMS, mail or phone, for children under 16.
No law prohibiting internet advertising to children.
If the law is broken, companies would face fines, damages and marketing bans.
Consumer Sales Act
Mandatory law that can’t be negociated. It protecs consumers when buying goods in a store.
Covers complaints and buying in existing condition.
Complaints
Consumers have the right to complain about a defect or misrepresented product.
The fault must be original form the seller, meaning within the first 6 months.
After 6 months BURDEN OF PROOF will shift to the buyer. The buyer must prove that the fault was original.
Right to complain lasts 3 years, also applying to discounted items.
It could be a request to repair the item or a demand for a refound.
Buying in existing condition
The seller has the responsability of informing the buyer about defects of a product. Example a used car.
Buyer has the right to then cancel the purchase, if the car is in worse condition than anticipated at the time of the purchase.
Distance and Doorstep Selling Act
Applies to purchases over the internet, phone sales, door to door sales.
Same right as Consumer Sales Act plus a 14 day RIGHT OF WITHDRAWAL.
You have the right to cancel the pruchase and get a refund without stating any reasons.
Consumer Services Act
Applies to the purchase of services, such as dishwasher repair. Buyer has the right to complain if the result is not as expected.
Service should be professionally performed and comply with the laws. The result should correspond to what was agreed upon.
If the buyer recieves a approximate price estimate initially, that price should not exceed 15% of that estimate.
The buyer should complain within two months to get the item repaired again at no extra cost.
General Complaints Board
If you are not satisfyed with a product you should first complain to its company. If rejected you can turn to GCB.
They resolve disputed between individuals and companies for free. Decisions cannot be appealed, but they are only a recommandation. 75% of selling companies follow GCB’s decisions.
If rejected by GCB, you can turn to the district court, which decides the case in a dispute resolution. Involving a risk that the losing party will pay all legal costs.
