UK NEWS
EU TO BAN ALL SHOP REFUNDS
Brussels to ban refunds on our faulty shop goods
Sunday November 1,2009
By Kirsty Buchanan, political editor
EU BUREAUCRATS want to end the right of shoppers to get their money back for shoddy goods.
This would end the 100 years of protection British consumers have enjoyed.
For more than a century, shops have offered refunds to people who return unwanted or faulty goods.
Plans by the European Union to “harmonise” consumer law will short-change them by removing that right and weakening safeguards.
Ministers have vowed to fight the Consumer Rights Directive but the UK Government has no power to stop the change if it is backed by the majority of European Union states.
Worse still, if the law is passed retailers will be banned from “gold-plating” the legislation by continuing to offer money- back guarantees.
Lola Bello, senior policy advocate for Consumer Focus, said: “Our right to return shoddy goods helps keep industry on its toes.
| Ministers have vowed to fight the Consumer Rights Directive / picture posed by model |
“I
t drives up product standards and is a cheap way of resolving disputes quickly.
“It is a vital element in our consumer protection regime and not one we’d be prepared to lose or see watered down.”
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