Home Economics - Consumer Protection

1. The right to choice - This means having a wide variety of goods and services to choose from

2. The right to quality - This means that goods must be able to do what they are meant to do and be of good quality

3. The right to information - This means that information written on goods or about services must be true

4. The right to safety - This means that goods and services must be safe for consumers to use

5. The right to redress - This means that consumers are entitled to repair, replacement or refund if goods are faulty

This is when only one company provides a good or service eg. Iarnrod Eireann

1. Be well informed about our rights

2. Examine products before buying

3. Read instructions and labels

4. Shop around for value for money

1. The law

2. Government organisations

3. Voluntary organisations

This is a promise from the manufacturer that if the goods are faulty they will be replaced or repaired free of charge within a certain amount of time eg. a year

They state that goods must:

1. Be of merchantable quality

2. Be fit for their purpose

3. Be as decribed

4. Correspond to sample

They state that services must:

1. Be carried out by a qualified person

2. Be carried out with care

3. Be carried out using good quality materials

This states that information or claims made about goods and services must be true

False claims about the prices of goods are illegal under this Act

National Consumer Agency

1. Stop using the goods

2. Find the receipt

3. Know your rights and make your complaint to the shop where you bought the goods

1. Ask for the manager

2. Calmly explain what is wrong

3. State exactly what you want done

1. Details of exactly what you bought and where you bought it

2. State you are enclosing a copy of receipt

3. Clear details of complaint

4. Details of action you would like taken

1. The Ombudsman - deals with complaints against government run organisations eg. the HSE

2. National Consumer Agency - it enforces consumer laws, helps control the advertising agency and promotes consumer awareness

1. Consumers Association of Ireland - advices consumers, provides consumer information, has an informative website and produces a monthly consumer magazine called Consumer Choice

2. Trade Organisations - develop codes of good practice for their members and deals with complaints