consumer protection federal protection state protection product liability
DESCRIPTION
The market If I knew what to look for I wouldn’t need protection from unscrupulous or greedy companies! There are just too many products! I can’t possibly know about all of themTRANSCRIPT
Consumer ProtectionConsumer ProtectionFederal protectionFederal protectionState ProtectionState ProtectionProduct liabilityProduct liability
VocabularyVocabulary►Caveat emptorCaveat emptor►Class actionsClass actions►Cease and desistCease and desist►Consent order►restitutionrestitution
Let the buyer bewareAllows a suit to be brought
on behalf of a class of similarly wronged personsAn order of the court
to stop doing somethingA voluntary (court enforceable) action to stop a questionable
practiceReturn of money wrongfully obtained
The marketThe marketIf I knew what to
look for I wouldn’t need protection
from unscrupulous or greedy
companies!
There are just too many
products! I can’t possibly know
about all of them
The MarketThe MarketHuge
corporations are capable of
manipulating the marketplace!
Consumer Laws generally...Consumer Laws generally...
►Protect against dangerous and Protect against dangerous and substandard goods goods
►Prohibit unfair trade Prohibit unfair trade practices►Require licenses and Require licenses and inspections
where neededwhere needed►Provide Provide remedies for injured persons for injured persons
Product Safety StandardsProduct Safety Standards►Regulated by the 1972 Consumer Product Regulated by the 1972 Consumer Product
Safety Act which created the CPSCSafety Act which created the CPSC Companies are required to Companies are required to
report product failures, notify the buyers and , notify the buyers and recall and repair the product, replace it, or recall and repair the product, replace it, or refund the money.refund the money.
CPSC receives reports from hospitals CPSC receives reports from hospitals CPSC has the power to seize a product and CPSC has the power to seize a product and
remove it from the marketremove it from the market
Food, Drugs, CosmeticsFood, Drugs, Cosmetics► Regulated by the Food and Drug ActRegulated by the Food and Drug Act
Ensure Ensure clean production facilities Also inspected by the USDA – canners, packers, Also inspected by the USDA – canners, packers,
meat processors, , imported food FDA requires FDA requires labels on products on products
►Manufacturer and locationManufacturer and location►QuantityQuantity►Nutritional factsNutritional facts
FDA regulates FDA regulates drugs – mainly decides which are – mainly decides which are prescription and which are OTC.prescription and which are OTC.
Cosmetics are regulatedare regulated
Standards for Weights and Standards for Weights and MeasuresMeasures
►Regulated by the National Bureau of Regulated by the National Bureau of StandardsStandards Provides standard sets of Provides standard sets of
weights and measures to state and local govtto state and local govt Regulates through inspections, testing, Regulates through inspections, testing,
enforcementenforcement Ie.) gasoline, food in grocery store that is Ie.) gasoline, food in grocery store that is
weighed, rope or wire used in farming, weighed, rope or wire used in farming, taxicabstaxicabs
►www.cpsc.gov/www.cpsc.gov/►http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/
Consumer_Safety.shtml Consumer_Safety.shtml ►http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/consumer.shtmhttp://www.ftc.gov/bcp/consumer.shtm►http://www.recalls.gov/recent.htmlhttp://www.recalls.gov/recent.html►http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/
consumers.aspxconsumers.aspx►http://www.fda.gov/ http://www.fda.gov/