Consumer protection laws aim to protect consumers from unfair business practices and ensure they receive appropriate redress for faulty goods or services. The Consumer Information Act 1978 prohibits false or misleading claims about price and features of goods and services. The Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980 requires goods to be of merchantable quality, fit for purpose, and as described. It also applies to services and allows consumers to receive refunds, repairs, replacements or partial compensation for issues. Consumers can make complaints to shops, consumer organizations, or small claims courts. While businesses cannot refuse refunds for faulty items, consumers must return goods promptly and cannot alter them to be entitled to redress.

1. © PDST Home Economics

2. Why consumer protection?
 Stops manufacturers or retailers
taking advantage of consumers
 Protects the rights of consumers
 Ensures consumers gets redress
if needed

3. 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

4. Examples of claims
Goods
 100% cotton
 Made in Ireland
 Waterproof
 Free from artificial
colours
 Low fat
 Real leather
Services
 24 hour service
 1 hour photos
 Delivery to all areas
 Irelands most punctual
airline

5. Claims about prices
 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

6. 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”

8. Redress for faulty goods
 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

9. Types of Redress
 Cash Refund
 Repair
 Replacement
 Credit note
 Partial compensation

10. 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

11. Caveat emptor
 Let the buyer beware
 No law can protect
careless consumers

12. Guarantees
 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

13. Consumer Complaints

14. 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

15. 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

16. Unjustified Complaints
Consumer complaints are not justified if:
 the goods were misused or abused
 the fault was shown before purchase
 consumer changes their minds

17. Making a Complaint
 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.

18. Consumer Organisations
Statutory/government
Agencies
National Consumer Agency
(NCA )
 Enforces consumer law,
informs public of their
rights
Office of Ombudsman
 Investigates complaints
against public bodies
e.g. Government
departments, local
authority, HSE, An Post
 Voluntary Organisations
Consumers Association of
Ireland(CAI)
 Informs people about
consumer issues through
the media and Consumer
Choice magazine.
 Lobbies government to
improve consumer law
Advertising Standards
Authority for Ireland
(ASAI)
 Ensures adverts are legal
decent honest truthful

20. 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