Your rights
Me as a consumer
Trade Descriptions Act
What you need to know
The Trade Descriptions Act 1968 makes it an offence for a trader to apply, by any means, false or misleading statements, or to knowingly or recklessly make such statements about goods and services.
Generally speaking, this means you have rights as a consumer for what you purchase to do what it says it will.
What you can do
- Think before you buy - it's much easier than sorting something out afterwards
- If you are dissatisfied with your purchase, this does not necessarily mean it breaks the Trade Descriptions Act
- If you wish to complain, firstly talk to the shop where you made your purchase, if that fails, try writing to the manufacturer
- If you're still dissatisfied, talk to your local Citizens Advice Bureau, or if your local authority has one, talk to the consumer advisory service
Advisers are here between 8am and 2am. Talk to us in confidence >>
