NCJ Number
49321
Date Published
1974
Length
120 pages
Annotation
EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHES TO CONSUMER PROTECTION (OMBUDSMAN, CONSUMER'S COURT, PUBLIC COMPLAINTS BOARD, COMPREHENSIVE CONSUMER AGENCY, SMALL CLAIMS COURTS) ARE EXAMINED.
Abstract
THE DISCUSSION FOCUSES ON THE FORM AND OPERATION OF SWEDEN'S SOCIAL EXPERIMENTS IN CONSUMER PROTECTION, THEIR SUCCESSES AND FAILURES, AND THEIR POTENTIAL AS MODELS OF CONSUMER PROTECTION FOR OTHER COUNTRIES. THE STATUS OF CONSUMER RIGHTS -- QUALITY OF LIFE, TRUTHFUL ADVERTISING, TRUTH IN LABELING AND PACKAGING, FAIR CONTRACTS, CLAIMS AND DEFENSES, QUALITY GOODS, EFFECTIVE REMEDIES, REPRESENTATION -- IS ASSESSED. IT IS NOTED THAT BOTH GOVERNMENT AND CITIZENS IN SWEDEN HAVE PLACED CONSIDERABLE EMPHASIS ON THE NEED FOR CONSUMER PROTECTION. SWEDISH EXPERIMENTS IN CONSUMER PROTECTION ARE UNIQUE AND IN ADVANCE OF PROGRAMS IN MANY OTHER COUNTRIES. THE OFFICE OF CONSUMER OMBUDSMAN GIVES A NATIONAL FOCUS TO CONSUMER PROBLEMS AND PROVIDES AN EFFECTIVE MEANS FOR OBTAINING MAJOR CONSUMER PROTECTION THROUGH NEGOTIATION AND COURT ACTION. THE MARKET (CONSUMER'S) COURT, WITH ITS SPECIAL EXPERTISE IN DECIDING MAJOR CONSUMER-RELATED ISSUES, ALSO IS WORKING WELL. THE PUBLIC COMPLAINTS BOARD PROVIDES A USEFUL MODEL FOR DEALING WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF CONSUMER GRIEVANCES OUTSIDE THE COURTS. THE SMALL CLAIMS COURT ALSO HAS POTENTIAL FOR HANDLING LARGE NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUAL COMPLAINTS. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE NATIONAL CONSUMER AGENCY IS NOT YET KNOWN, BUT THE AGENCY MAY PROVIDE A MODEL FOR THE COORDINATION OF CONSUMER-RELATED ACTIVITIES. SWEDISH STATUTES AND CASE LAW RELATED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION ARE CITED. COPIES OF MAJOR CONSUMER STATUTES ARE APPENDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)