The shift across the world appears to be towards the entrenchment of consumer rights. The trend has seen the introduction of new legislation to scupper unscrupulous manufacturers and better protect hapless consumers who often find themselves without legal remedy when faced with damage caused by the purchase of defective products.

The Consumer Protection Act (CPA), which is due to be introduced into our law in April 2011, consolidates the rights of consumers and attempts to promote what has been termed a fair, accessible and sustainable marketplace for consumer products and services. The CPA sets national standards for consumer protection and deals with the protection of consumers from injuries or hazards caused to them as a result of purchasing defective and inferior goods. Consumers’ rights to fair value, good quality and safety of products purchased will now be entrenched by the new legislation.

Written by Eric Levenstein, Director at Werksmans Attorneys