News Release issued by
the COI News Distribution Service on 19 September 2011
Edward Davey has
today announced a new Consumer Bill of Rights, which will
streamline confusing and overlapping legislation and regulation,
and provide stronger consumer protection.
The Bill will update the law for goods and services and for
digital content, clarify the law on unfair contract terms,
consolidate consumer powers for Trading Standards, and provide
much stronger protection for vulnerable customers targeted by
misleading aggressive sales practices.
Consumer Minister Edward Davey said:
“Consumer law in the UK comes from a variety of Acts and
regulation, making it complex and confusing. This is bad for
consumers and bad for business as people don’t know their rights
and the cost of compliance for business is higher than necessary.
“The Consumer Bill of Rights will consolidate, clarify and
strengthen the consumer laws already in place, which will make it
easier for everyone to understand and consumer rights in the UK
will be stronger than ever. This Bill will give everyone a single
place to find all their consumer rights.”
Current aggressive practices include:
implying a connection with social services or an old age
charity;preying on the elderly person’s fear of losing their
independence;writing out cheques or an order form for the victim;
andsalespersons refusing to leave the premises until they have
secured a sale.
We will be proposing that victims should have a clear time,
extending beyond the default cancellation period currently in
place, in which to unwind the contract.
The Bill will bring together consumer rights currently found in
12 Acts or Regulations and the incoming European Consumer Rights
Directive. It will be in simple English, making it easier for
consumers and businesses to understand what is a complex and
inconsistent area of law.
By consolidating consumer rights we will substantially reduce red
tape for businesses, which will in turn help us to create the
right conditions for sustainable economic growth.
Notes to Editors
1. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ (BIS)
intention to consolidate, clarify and strengthen consumer law in
July was a key response to the Retail Red Tape Challenge. BIS also
set out that it would implement the Consumer Rights Directive in a
Consumer Bill of Rights in the BIS Business Plan (s.9). You can
find these on the BIS website here: www.bis.gov.uk
2. This Bill will complement a number of consumer initiatives
from BIS, including the streamlining of the consumer advice and
enforcement landscape, and the Consumer Empowerment strategy.
3. BIS's online newsroom contains the latest press
notices, speeches, as well as video and images for download. It
also features an up to date list of BIS press office contacts. See
http://www.bis.gov.uk/newsroom for more information.
Contacts:
BIS Press Office
NDS.BIS@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Joshua Coe
Phone: 020 7215 5943
Joshua.Coe@bis.gsi.gov.uk