Pupils to get lessons on shoppers' rights

Published on Sunday 15 July 2007 01:57

LESSONS in how to stand up for your consumer rights and avoid being ripped-off are set to be given to Scottish schoolchildren.

Retail watchdog, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), is to begin talks with the Scottish Executive to have the classes brought in for secondary school pupils so they can avoid being the victims of scams and poor service.

Scottish youngsters spend about 1.39bn each year and studies have shown that the average 10-year-old can recognise up to 400 brands, 20 times more than the varieties of birds they can identify.

A 2005 study conducted across the UK found that young people felt they were treated as second-class customers, compared to adults. Seven out of 10 children felt they were being ripped off by companies, with mobile phone firms being rated among the worst for service.

Now the OFT is to meet with Executive ministers with proposals to teach schoolchildren about their rights as shoppers and consumers.

Pupils can expect to be taught what they can do if they are sold goods which break or do not work, or if an offer includes impossible conditions.

They will also be told which arguments by traders should be dismissed. For example, consumers should not accept objections by staff who insist that their "company policy" rules out refunds, or that the shopper should send their faulty product back to the manufacturer rather than to the shop.

Kyla Brand, the OFT Scottish representative, said: "This is an area that we want to pursue. There's a key role in terms of educating young people who are beginning to become consumers. The curriculum for money will include money as well as maths, for instance, so there is an opportunity there for teaching about consumers' rights."

The lessons are expected to be part of personal and social education classes where topics such as citizenship are covered, rather than being a subject in their own right, such as maths and French.

Although Scotland has no national curriculum by which the government lays down what must be taught, the Executive can issue guidelines saying that schools should enable children to learn about their consumer rights.

Philip Collins, chairman of the OFT, said: "Young people are very switched on to the use of the internet to get information, and some use the internet to make very good price and value comparisons. On the other hand, some make very good use of the internet for all kinds of purposes and then have a blank when it comes to understanding what is best value for money."

A spokesman added: "The conversation with ministers would not be about the content of lessons as such. More on the lines that consumer education matters for young people in Scotland and that empowered consumers matter for the economy of Scotland."

John Loughton, the 19-year-old chairman of the Scottish Youth Parliament, said: "We would welcome this. What's taught in school needs to be more cutting-edge and relevant to giving young people life skills and that includes knowing your rights. You want to know why 10 a month is coming off your bank account. We need to be treated with a lot more respect in terms of purchasing.

"I would also hope that this would be taught by experts who really know the subject, for example trading standards or consumer protection, rather than by a teacher of some other subject just adding this to their portfolio."

Chris Willett, Professor of Consumer law at De Montfort University, Leicester, said the proposal would help deal with problems such as mobile phone cashback deals, which offer subscribers money for signing up with long-term contracts, but which then make it difficult actually to claim for the cash.

He said: "This is a very good policy and children should be taught their rights. There's always this notion that these things are too complicated and it should all be left up to lawyers to sort it out. And people think that if a company does something then it must be okay and not to argue.

"You often hear on these TV watchdog shows the advice, 'Always read the small print.' As if unless you read the small print you can't object. It's actually up to the seller to make things clear to the buyer."

Fiona Moriarty, the director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said businesses should not be scared by the plans, as long as their operations are above board. She said: "It is a good ideal, young people are important customers and deserve to know their rights as much as any customers. Reputable retailers will have nothing to fear from young shoppers who know their rights."

A spokeswoman for the Executive said: "While there is no national curriculum on Scotland, we would welcome hearing from the OFT on this subject."

Top 10 excuses you should ignore

"Send it back to the manufacturer."

If the goods are faulty it is the trader's problem. They were happy to accept your cash.

"We don't give refunds."

Never mind what the shop's policy is. The law says you're entitled to a refund or a replacement.

"We can't do anything without a receipt."

Not necessarily. A credit card slip may well do.

"You should have read the small print."

The trader must point out and explain any significant issues in the small print. They cannot impose unfair or illegal conditions, small print or not.

"The two-year warranty expired two days ago."

The law says a product should be sold "fit for purpose", and function for a reasonable amount of time, never mind what the warranty says.

"You damaged it."

A product should withstand realistic use. If the problem appears within six months, then the onus is on them to show it was your fault.

"It wasn't designed to last that long."

Depends on the product and what you paid.

"We'll give you a credit note instead."

You have the right to insist on a repair or refund.