As the Consumer Rights Bill makes progress through the UK Parliamentary System the Government Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is working with various groups to design some guidance for what will be a highly complex piece of primary legislation.

AMDEA is on the working group looking at the goods guidance and we have recently received the latest draft for comment.

While the new law is intended to clarify “your statutory rights” as a consumer, it does also contain new provisions that are not in current Sale of Goods Act legislation. Several industry sectors are concerned that consumers may be led to believe that they will have a right to demand full refunds on the slightest of pretexts.

Of particular concern to AMDEA is the emphasis on durability as a key factor in a product being deemed fit for purpose. Since our members’ products always come with a commercial guarantee there is often confusing advice given to consumers about who they should contact if their purchase seems not to be working. With UK law giving consumers up to 6 years to claim against a retailer it is vital that any guidance makes clear that this does not mean that a product must last 6 years or you get your money back!