The Law Society has welcomed publication of the draft Consumer Rights Bill which will help reduce regulatory complexity through a more clear and simple set of laws.
The Consumer Rights Bill consolidates complex and important areas of consumer law and has the potential to benefit millions of consumers.
Law Society President, Lucy Scott-Moncrieff said the Bill will modernise UK consumer law, protect consumers and ensure fair and free competition in markets.
“A more streamlined set of laws will help consumers know their rights and give them more confidence to purchase goods and services. On the other side of the transaction, the bill will help businesses to understand their obligations and, with improved levels of consumer confidence, sell more goods and services.”
The Society has consistently argued that consumer law in the UK is too complicated and costly and that good law enables markets to function better. “A strong legal framework is vital for well functioning markets and any attempt to reduce regulatory complexity is a win-win for both consumers and the business community,” Ms Scott-Moncrieff said.
Chair of the Law Society’s Consumer Law Reform Reference Group Fraser Whitehead said the Consumer Rights Bill is a sensible way of making significant changes to the law which have not kept up with the pace of technological innovations, such as e-commerce.
“We welcome the simplification and modernisation of this important area of the law. It’s vital that we get the balance right and ensure consumers know how to exercise their rights and businesses are not burdened with unnecessary costs.
“But it’s also crucial that the rights enshrined in the bill can be directly and effectively enforced by consumers and this is where the Society is able to provide legal expertise of real value to the consultation process.”
As the Bill passes through Parliament the Society will be engaging with the Parliamentary process and the wider public debate, helping to make sure the Bill delivers an effective and modern consumer law framework fit for the needs of the 21st century consumer.
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