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Know your consumer rights this Christmas

10 Dec 2009

With less than 15 shopping days left until Christmas and many people buying the latest must-have gadgets and toys or looking forward to the sales, the Know Your Consumer Rights campaign is reminding shoppers to be aware of their rights.

If you’ve paid for something and you’re not happy, establishing your rights is the first step towards claiming the refund, repair or replacement you may be entitled to.

The key rules to be aware of are:

Goods must fit the description given
Goods must be of satisfactory quality
Goods must be fit for purpose

Consumer Direct is a government-funded advice service for consumers and should be your first port of call for practical help with how to complain. For more information visit the Consumer Direct website or call the helpline on 08454 04 05 06.

Later today Kevin Brennan will tell the National Consumer Federation’s Consumer Congress in London that: “There’s a lot of of protection in place to support consumers, but we want to see a big improvement in awareness of this protection and of consumer rights in general.

“You are much more likely to get a fair deal, save money and get the right result if you are aware of your rights. This is especially important at Christmas when most people are spending money both on gifts and in the sales.”