The highly anticipated Consumer Protection Act (2016) is now in effect as of January 1st 2022.
This means that anyone who is buying goods or services in a shop, online, over the phone, or signing up to a consumer loan has rights.
The Consumer Protection Act makes it illegal for businesses and sales people to mislead consumers, give false information, or use unfair practices about a product or service, including details about the price, quality, features, or any discounts – everything must be accurate and clearly described, and contracts must not contain unfair terms.
The law applies to anyone in trade – from big organisations like hotel chains, banks, Utility providers, airlines and Telecommunications, to small or temporary businesses like a souvenir stall or ice cream stand. It also applies to advertising and contractual terms in all forms—online, print, TV, social media – and in all dealings with consumers.
Consumers face high cost and time barriers to take action against a business, which results in low consumer protection. The Act now empowers you to enforce consumer protection, expanding affordable lines of redress in many areas. This remedy includes the Consumer Affairs Department, Consumer Commission and Consumer Tribunal.
With those rights the responsibilities on the consumer is to continue to educate yourself, ask questions and compare prices as well. His/herself.
The National Consumer Association (NCA) has been a champion of underrepresented consumers nationwide since 2001. A non-profit organization, the NCA focuses on advocacy and education and remits deals with all consumer complaints.