Unit 11 – Keeping customers happy
AO3 How Customers are protected by consumer law and ways to obtain advice and support
Consumer laws
The major laws I’m going to describe are:
Sales of Goods Act
Trade Descriptions Act
Weights and Measures Act
Food and Drugs Act
Food Safety Act.
Sales of Good Act
The purpose of this act s to make sure that quality is in the goods that are sold to the public. This act has been amended by the Sale and Supply of Goods Act 1994. Together, these Acts state that people buying goods should expect those goods to:
Be of “satisfactory quality”, which means that goods must be of reasonable quality when sold; there should be nothing wrong with goods. No defects or faults.
Aspects of quality include:
Appearance/Finish
Freedom from minor defects
Safety
Durability
Be fit for which purpose they’re sold.
Match there description, verbal or written description.
Match the size or weights shown on the packaging.
If a business sells something to a customer, even a special offer item that fails to meet these conditions, then the customer is entitled to a refund.
Trade Descriptions Act
This is a very important piece of consumer legislation. The main reason of this act is to ensure people who advertise goods or services do so accurately. Anyone who sells something to someone else must ensure the advertisement is accurate and not misleading. This act includes contents, price, packaging advertising and promotional materials of a product and service. Under the act is illegal to sell something as a “reduced price” unless it was sold at the original price for a period of 28 days prior to reduce.
The Essay on Cost Of Goods Sold
A figure of cost of goods sold reflecting the cost of the product or good that a company sells to generate revenue, appearing on the income statement, as an expense. Also, referred to as "cost of sales." It is essentially a cost of doing business, such as the amount paid to purchase raw materials in order to manufacture them into finished goods. For example, if a $10 widget costs $6 to make, then ...
Weights and Measures Acts
Under the weights and Measures act 1963 and 1979, it is illegal for a business to sell goods that are not to the specific weight or measure, as described on the packaging. Manufacturers must ensure that their goods weight or measure exactly what is displayed on the packaging or label.
Food and Drugs Act
Under this Act, all food products must be accurately labelled with the ingredients contained in the food. It is also illegal to sell food which is unfit for consumption or contains harmful additives, for example colouring preservatives in chocolate, sweets and other food. If businesses sell unfit food then health officers have the right to shutdown the premises.
Food Safety Act
This Act ensures that businesses do not:
Sell food that is unfit for people to eat
Sell food that is not what the customer is entitled to expect, in terms of content or quality
Describe or present food in a way that is false or misleading.
Help and advice for customers
There are many ways in which consumers can obtain help, advice and support. The major sources are:
Trading standards
The Essay on The Community Mental Health Act of 1963
The Community Mental Health Act of 1963 Introduction Community mental health center act of 1963 was a significant milestone in America’s record of mental health rights. On 31st October 1963, the act was signed into a regulation by President John F. Kennedy. The law was the pioneer among other many federal policy alterations that helped ignite a significant transformation of the ...
Citizens advice bureau
Trade associations
Consumers association
Utilities watchdogs
Trading standards
Trading standards protect consumers by ensuring that trade is carried out fairly and abide laws while being safe. For example the work of trading standards officers are:
To advise people on there legal rights
To advise businesses on their legal obligations
To take legal actions against businesses who do not abide the laws.
There are various ways in which the trading standards officers can help. They can:
Advise you on law and your rights
Advise you on the best way to pursue your rights
Help you through the small claims court procedure
Investigate if the criminal law has been contravened.
Environmental health
Environmental health officers inspect the premises to make sure that health standards hygiene and safety are maintained. Their work is in the home, work and during recreation. The major part of their work is food hygiene. However environmental health officers inspect housing conditions, atmospheric pollution and smoke control areas. If a neighbour is having a noise problem the environmental health officers deal with the complaints from the neighbour.
Citizens Advice Bureau
The citizens advice bureau offers free advice to anyone there are many individual offices each is a registered charity and relies on volunteers to run it as well as grants from local authorities and sponsorship from local businesses and individual donations. The nearest one can be found in a local phonebook or Yellow pages or by searching the internet.
