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Know your rights when shopping
Consumer Rights
Dispelling the myths surrounding your rights as a consumer
It can be hard to know what your rights are as a consumer. Here we shed light on some of the most common myths circulating.
Most people have probably had the experience of attempting to return a faulty or unsatisfactory product to a retailer, only to be told that a refund or exchange is not possible.
The reality is, however, that a number of the most common excuses used by a retailer are unfounded.
For example, you do not need a receipt when you return a product. All you need is proof of purchase, which can also be demonstrated by producing a bank statement or credit card bill.
In addition, you might be told that your complaint is with the manufacturer, and that you will need to contact them. Again, this is not true. When you buy a product, you enter a contract with the retailer, and it is their obligation to make amends.
The third myth is that you cannot return an item bought in a sale; your consumer rights are just the same if you bought it at full price or a discount.
However, retailers have their rights too. They are only obliged to refund or replace a product that is faulty or is not fit for purpose, so you are not entitled to a refund if the item in question is perfect. But where goods are faulty, consumer protection legislation is firmly on the purchaser’s side.