This will affect your Business when you trade with Consumers.
The Consumer Rights Directive covers contracts for sales of goods and services from business-to-Consumer. Generally all contracts are covered, i.e. purchases made in a shop, at a distance or away from business premises. This Directive came into force on 20 October 2011.
The aim of the Directive is to ensure that Consumers, wherever they shop in the EU, will have clear information on all aspects of a contract before they sign or agree to it. This includes information about the price, any additional charges, late or non-delivery, as well as set out EU-wide Consumer rights on issues such as cooling-off periods, returns, refunds, repairs and guarantees and unfair contract terms, including e-commerce. There is also a requirement for clear information about Consumer rights to be displayed at the point of sale. This is currently not a statutory requirement in the UK.
The Directive should ease cross border trade as all European countries will be bound by the same rules rather than the numerous laws that each country currently has on Consumer rights. This will benefit your business in the long run and will open up new opportunities to trade in the EU.
The Directive does not cover financial services, which are covered by the Distance Marketing Directive.
The impact on the UK Consumer protection laws is far reaching as there is now a plan to merge all existing UK Consumer protection laws and regulations, together with the requirements of the Directive, into a single Consumer Bill of Rights. This will involve the repeal of several UK Consumer protection laws.
The Directive applies to contracts concluded after 13 June 2014 and is expected to be implemented in the UK in 2013.
What action should you take now ?
Review your business approach to Consumers, this inevitably means reviewing all of your trading terms and conditions, and will necessitate re-training of staff. Although 2014 seems a long way off it will be upon you before you know it and if your terms and conditions and your treatment of Consumers does not meet the new legislative requirements your business will be penalised.
Do not ignore this.
Please contact SARA CHECKLEY on 01507 522456 to discuss the impact of this new legislation on your business.






