One click and you’ve bought a product. Online purchases happen in a matter of seconds. The EU is planning to give you more rights when shopping online. We’ll show you what that means for online retailers and, above all, for you.
Strengthening consumer rights is currently a top priority in the EU. Especially when shopping online, you want to protect customers from traps and the like. This includes not only secure payment at Amazon and Co. since 2021, but also recently the regulation of cookies . Now they want to give dealers and companies even more responsibility.
BETTER CONSUMER PROTECTION ONLINE: THE EU IS PLANNING THIS
Buying a product online is quicker than in the city. Impulse purchases in particular are likely to happen more frequently. Above all, advertising, for example on social media platforms such as Instagram, encourages people to shop. But among them are often dealers whose standards do not correspond to European ones. Here the EU wants to take a closer look at the relevant retailers in the future and relieve consumers of responsibility.
As Der Spiegel reports, citing information from the dpa, the compromise between the European Parliament and the EU states shows that retailers and other companies are responsible for their supply chains. And it is mainly dangerous products that are to be targeted. Goods bought from non-EU shops often do not meet European safety standards, but made their way into the EU internal market through online purchases and lax testing mechanisms.
The stricter rules should allow corresponding products to be recalled more quickly and customers should not just find out about the recall by accident. One hopes for a more transparent recall strategy. In order to meet the goal and the new rule, retailers must appoint a person responsible for checking products from China and Co. for EU safety standards. If this person waves the goods through even though the standards are not correctly stated or implemented, the person responsible for defective products may also have to be liable under certain circumstances.
LONGER WARRANTY FOR PRODUCTS
In addition, buyers should receive a longer guarantee for purchased products. During this guarantee period, it is possible to exchange dangerous or defective products without any problems and claim a replacement or a refund. According to the EU, consumers in the EU should be able to save more than 5 billion euros over the next ten years thanks to the new regulations.
The compromise was finally decided between the EU Parliament and the EU states, but still has to be formally accepted. After a transitional period of 18 months, the new consumer protection rules will come into force.
