CHAPTER SUMMARY • A consumer is a person who buys goods and services for their own use.
• When you pay for goods or a service, you are entering into a contract with the seller. A contract is a legal agreement between two or more people.
• Proof of purchase shows that a consumer has paid for an item. The consumer will need proof of purchase if they want to return the item.
• There are very strict rules surrounding the labelling of food products.
• In Ireland, consumer contracts are protected by three main laws: the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980, the Consumer Protection Act 2007 and the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014.
• A guarantee or warranty is a written promise from a manufacturer to repair, refund or replace faulty goods within a given period of time after purchase.
• Distance selling is the sale and purchase of goods and services that does not take place in person (e.g. online shopping).
• Trade associations investigate and try to sort out problems that consumers have in a specific industry. • The Office of the Ombudsman investigates complaints from member of the public against public bodies.
• The Small Claims procedure gives consumers a cheap and fast way to settle a dispute legally without the need for a solicitor.
• The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) was set up in 2014 and replaced the National Consumer Agency.
• The Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (ASAI) promotes good advertising standards in Ireland.
Taking stock A
Go to page 69 of your Activities and Accounts Book to check what you have learned in chapter 9.
