Brussels to ban refunds on our faulty shop 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

Sir Stuart Rose, chairman of high street store chain Marks & Spencer, said: “If something is likely to constrain consumer rights we would look very carefully at it.” The legislation, which would also cover goods bought over the phone or the internet, is designed to ensure the same level of consumer protection if shoppers buy goods in any EU member state. However, a report by the House of Lords EU Committee is critical of the move, saying British shoppers will be at a disadvantage if they are buying goods elsewhere in Europe. The report concludes that the European Commission is “over-optimistic about the impact the directive will have on cross-border trade” with language and culture barriers meaning most Britons will continue to shop in the UK.

Lord Borrie, honorary vice-president of the Trading Standards Institute, said the directive was an “unrealistic ambition”. The Labour peer added: “The practicalities of pursuing a legal action against a foreign trader make the transaction much more hazardous than one in one’s own high street.” Instead of money-back guarantees, the directive would allow traders to offer only the repair or replacement of faulty goods. The liability for replacement or repair would also be cut from six years to two, even though such products as cars, boilers and double glazing should reasonably be expected to last longer.

The EU Committee said this raised fears of a spawning new culture of “disposable” goods as the incentive to manufacture hard-wearing products would be removed. It is the loss of the right to refund which has prompted the biggest backlash against the directive however. Mats Persson, research director of the think-tank Open Europe, said: “The directive will sweep away the age-old right of Britons to get their money back for returned goods. “The Government has vowed to fight Brussels to retain this right but they have no power to stop it from becoming law if it wins the backing of the majority of other member states. EXPRESS COMMENT... SHOPPERS TO PAY HUGE PRICE FOR EU CONSUMER SHAKE UP

“This watering-down of British consumer rights laws represents a significant power grab by Brussels and British consumers will be rightly horrified that Europe wants to denude the UK’s national safeguards. “Worse still, new EU rules mean the UK Government cannot continue to offer British consumers extra safeguards if it wants to. British shoppers are getting short- changed by Brussels.” Joanne Lezemore, a senior lawyer for the consumer watchdog Which? said: “The effect could be huge. The right to reject is of major importance to the consumer. “The Government needs to ensure that rather than watering-down the UK rules, other EU countries benefit from the rights that British consumers enjoy, such as the ability to reject faulty goods and the right to claim against a seller for up to six years.