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Consumer champions
Making a difference for consumers
Essentially all standards exist to make life better for consumers by helping businesses to provide high quality, safe products and services that improve people’s lives. However, the consumer voice has
proved vital in highlighting some areas that businesses may have missed or not given sufficient attention to, and we look at some of examples here.
Button batteries In the wake of two child deaths caused by choking on button batteries, an independent report recommended that there should be a standard setting out safety requirements for button and coin batteries and the consumer products that use them.
Consumer Forum members and CPIN
played a key role in developing a fast track standard, PAS 7055 Button and coin batteries - safety requirements - specification – tackling the inherent danger to children of small batteries, which was published in 2021. Sponsored by UK Government, its available to download for free here.
It defines what manufacturers and
producers of button and coin batteries are required to do with their packaging,
instructions, labelling, marketing and disposal. It also covers requirements for consumer products that use this type of battery and the retailers and distributors of these products in consumer markets.
Terms and conditions Anyone who buys goods or services online will be familiar with voluminous terms and conditions that buyers are required to accept in order to buy something. The issue for buyers is that the terms and conditions often go on for pages and are usually couched in legal terms that are not easy to understand. The result is
A safety requirment standard for button batteries is helping to protect inquisitve toddlers
that the vast majority of people tick the box to accept them without reading them, potentially leaving them without redress in the event of a problem. “There is huge potential for consumer detriment in agreeing to accept terms and conditions without fully understanding what the implications are,” said Nikki Stopford, chair of the BSI Consumer Forum. “It’s not reasonable to expect people to read them all – some of which go on for longer than a Shakespeare play – yet you have to check the box to continue with the purchase.” Online buyers will therefore be
relieved to hear that a new international
standard, proposed by ISO COPOLCO, is in development which will help consumers make informed choices about purchasing goods and services on the Internet. “Work is about to start on this standard, which will develop guidance for providers of goods, services and digital content on the clear design and presentation of online terms and conditions,” said Nikki. “Organizations following this good practice will improve consumers understanding of what they are are signing up for, thereby reducing costly complaints and risk to business reputation and improving consumer loyalty.”
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