This book is the most comprehensive and up-to-date source of information about ways in which consumer activism has reshaped the economic and political well-being of citizens in the United States and around the world. This all-encompassing collection of information about consumer activism and the consumer movement will provide students, public officials, business groups, and other activists with a one-stop source of facts and insights. The contributors explore hundreds of major consumer protections that have significantly enhanced the quality of life and safety for all Americans, showing how these protections were won through the skillful and determined work of leading activists and activist organizations. Many of the stories told here are related by the activists themselves, often for the first time. More than 140 entries offer a comprehensive treatment of the consumer activism of specific organizations, their leaders, and strategies. The book also includes more than 40 entries about consumer movements in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. A timeline of key events and a listing of the most important books on the subject of consumer activism help provide context for the individual entries as do two introductory essays. Cross references in each entry establish linkages among topics. Provides the single most comprehensive source available of information about consumer activism and advocacy Shows how activism has influenced laws and regulations affecting more than 40 consumer issues Shares personal accounts from activists about their work on these issues Details information on U.S. national consumer organizations and many state and local consumer groups, including their goals, strategies, leaders, finances, and impact Offers insights into the ways consumer activist groups have interacted with other nonprofits, policymakers, regulators, and business groups

Contract: General Principles examines the concepts, principles and rules relating to contracts, and considers the jurisprudential, constitutional, and social context in which contract law operates. The authors’ expert analysis and exposition of the legislative and common-law principles underlying the law of contract provides a rich, illuminating reading experience for legal practitioners, law students, and members of the general public interested in the subject. The authors explore the theoretical basis and structure of the South African law of contract and discuss the role played by the courts – which includes discussions of the latest court decisions and other sources of reference – in the interpretation and application of these rules and principles. Where the law is not settled, divergent opinions are considered and solutions offered, often referring to foreign jurisdictions.

The sixth edition of Contract: General Principles highlights the importance of the Consumer Protection Act in relation to the construction and conclusion of contracts, and includes a discussion of new developments in the electronic age, including the use of smart contracts and their application to various aspects of contracting. Close attention is paid to the influence of constitutional jurisprudence and the role of good faith and ubuntu in the formation and enforcement of legal agreements, or as informing the application of the public policy standard. The treatment of the practical application of this standard in the context of agreements in restraint of trade has also been significantly expanded.

While the book’s basic approach has been retained, the chapters have been substantially refined and reworked with a sharper focus on the applicable principles and rules.

The recent introduction of the Consumer Protection Act revolutionised consumer rights in South Africa. Along with that, it also fundamentally altered the way in which businesses are required to treat their clients, imposing a new set of obligations – or at least a formalised set of responsibilities – that had been easily circumnavigated or simply ignored before. Marketing campaigns, returns policies, contracts, quality issues, and a host of business practices had to be reviewed and reappraised. Some businesses have done this, while many blithely continue as if nothing has changed, little appreciating the risks of non-compliance and – perhaps more importantly – failing to appreciate that treating consumers fairly is simply a sound business practice. This new work provides a comprehensive overview of consumer law – not just the Act – in a way that follows the typical chain of consumer transactions. It serves to guide, educate and enlighten the professional, the business person and the consumer alike. No business or professional adviser should be without it. Written by a leading specialist in the field, it is simple, clear, comprehensive, authoritative and accessible.

This second edition of Mis-Selling Financial Services is a practical guide to litigating claims arising from the mis-sale of financial products and services. It covers the history of 'mis-selling' litigation and provides an updated overview of the regulatory landscape and how such claims are formulated, as well as a thorough review of the key issues. The revised chapters give an in-depth analysis of the financial products which most commonly form the subject of such claims, from credit to collective investment schemes. Key Features: Updated with new chapters on Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) and unfair terms Explanation of the key issues and considerations concerning mis-selling litigation Clear and concise analysis on the law relating to the mis-selling of regulated financial services products Overview of the UK and European regulatory framework governing the sale of financial products, with particular focus on five key product types: credit, mortgages, investments, insurance and collective investment schemes With consideration of key legal and practical concepts and issues, this book is an essential read for practitioners and in-house counsel working in the financial services industry. Academics who are researching within the fields of financial services law or consumer protection will also find this to be an informative text.

Since the adoption of the EU Regulation on Insolvency Proceedings in 2000 and its recast in 2015, it has become clear that lawyers engaged in consumer insolvency proceedings are increasingly expected to have a basic understanding of foreign insolvency proceedings, as well as knowledge of the foreign country's court and legal system, legislation and judicial practice. Written by 50 highly qualified insolvency experts from 30 European countries, A Guide to Consumer Insolvency Proceedings in Europe provides the necessary information in the largest, most up-to-date and comprehensive book on this topic. Assisting the readers in their navigation through the differences, similarities, and peculiarities of insolvency proceedings in all Member States of the European Union, Switzerland and Russia, this book is a unique guide to insolvency proceedings across Europe. With contributions by both academics and practitioners, it provides truly multinational coverage of the economic, legal, social, political, and demographic issues in consumer insolvency. Illustrating the numerous practices across Europe, this book allows the reader to evaluate each aspect both on its own merits, as well as in comparison to the approaches applied in other European jurisdictions. This book will be an invaluable tool for insolvency practitioners, judges, lawyers, creditors and debtors throughout Europe, especially those participating in cross-border proceedings. Contributors include: E. Andreeva, R. Bodis, J. Bojars, C. Booth, D. Cerini, A. Demetriadi, M. Dordevic, K. Farry, O. Fromholdt, E. Fronczak, J. Garasic, D. Grant, R. Harrison, E. Hellstrom, F. Helsen, J.-O. Heuer, V. Hoffeld, P. Jaatinen, G. Janoshalmi, B. Holohan, N. Jungmann, T. Kadner Graziano, S. Kantara, P. Keinert, B. Lurger, M. Melcher, L. Montrasio, J. Morais Carvalho, R. Norkus, A. Orgaard, D. Orsula, G. Piazza, J.P. Pinto-Ferreira, K. Pisani Bencini, M. Porzycki, A. Rachwal, M. Reymond, P. Rubellin, V. Sajadova, P. Sprinz, M.E. Storme, T. Tofaridou, H. Vallender, F.J.A. Varona, I. Venieris, P. Viirsalu, O. Zaitsev, A. Zetko, L.G. Zidaru

This comprehensive book offers a rigorous analysis of the legal debates, approaches and practice-related issues surrounding financial advice and investor protection. Despite widespread recognition of the importance of financial inclusion more broadly construed, recent financial crises have highlighted deficits in retail investor protection - this book informs the development of robust yet adaptable frameworks to protect investors, including effective enforcement and dispute resolution. Divided into three thematic parts, Financial Advice and Investor Protection begins with a holistic discussion of the subject, including an examination of the impact of relatively recent technical innovations such as robo-advice. The second part evaluates the role of private law in achieving investor protection, considering in particular how tort law, contract law and equity allocate risk and liability for investment advice. Finally, the book outlines the investor protection frameworks in the jurisdictions of six significant financial centres. This book will be a crucial read for various stakeholders in the investor protection debate including practitioners advising clients who work in this field, particularly across several of the jurisdictions covered, as well as policymakers interested in the development of law and regulation in this area. Scholars and students of financial law will also benefit from its comprehensive and critical treatment of the subject.

This comprehensive and essential Commentary examines both the origins and effect of the EU's 2015 Payment Services Directive (PSD2). Addressing a significant gap in the available literature, the book is divided into two parts: Part I analyses the legislative provisions of the Directive, while Part II explores the PSD2 implementation experience in selected EU Member States as well as in the United Kingdom.

This book studies three interrelated frontiers in civil justice from European and national perspectives, combining theory with policy and insights from practice: the interplay between private and public justice, the digitization of justice, and litigation funding. These current topics are viewed against the backdrop of the requirements of effective access to justice and the overall goal of establishing a sustainable civil justice system in Europe. With perspectives from an impressive selection of contributors the book takes on a pan-European perspective and zooms in on several European jurisdictions, thereby providing a holistic exploration of current civil justice debates and frontiers. It includes chapters dedicated to the interaction between public and private justice, the digitisation of both private dispute resolution and court litigation, including the rapid development and use of advanced forms of Artificial Intelligence, and the funding of justice, especially collective actions and settlements by means of private funding and common funds. Addressing these key issues in the current European debate on civil justice, this book will be an ideal read for academics and policy makers interested in the most recent frontier developments and innovations. Legal practitioners will also benefit from the insight into complex topics such as litigation funding, legal conflicts in a digital age, and resolving disputes in a private setting.

This book analyses the founding years of consumer law and consumer policy in Europe. It combines two dimensions: the making of national consumer law and the making of European consumer law, and how both are intertwined. The chapters on Germany, Italy, the Nordic countries and the United Kingdom serve to explain the economic and the political background which led to different legal and policy approaches in the then old Member States from the 1960s onwards. The chapter on Poland adds a different layer, the one of a former socialist country with its own consumer law and how joining the EU affected consumer law at the national level. The making of European consumer law started in the 1970s rather cautiously, but gradually the European Commission took an ever stronger position in promoting not only European consumer law but also in supporting the building of the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC), the umbrella organisation of the national consumer bodies. The book unites the early protagonists who were involved in the making of consumer law in Europe: Guido Alpa, Ludwig Kramer, Ewa Letowska, Hans-W Micklitz, Klaus Tonner, Iain Ramsay, and Thomas Wilhelmsson, supported by the younger generation Aneta Wiewiorowska Domagalska, Mateusz Grochowski, and Koen Docter, who reconstructs the history of BEUC. Niklas Olsen and Thomas Roethe analyse the construction of this policy field from a historical and sociological perspective. This book offers a unique opportunity to understand a legal and political field, that of consumer law and policy, which plays a fundamental role in our contemporary societies.

The legal issues surrounding the online distribution of content have recently gained prominence due to the European Commission's commitment to the Digital Single Market (DSM). This book is one of the first to provide highly topical analysis of the key legal challenges surrounding the online distribution of content, with particular focus on intellectual property rights, competition law and the regulation of new technologies. Central to the book is the question of whether the Commission's proposed legislative solutions will lead to a more coherent, or more fragmented, legal framework at both EU and member state level. Experts within the field assess how current legislation can be effectively applied and look ahead to examine how potential issues raised by emerging technologies, and the need to develop the online content market beyond the DSM proposal, can be anticipated and addressed. Providing a well-rounded view of the subject, this book will be of interest to scholars working within copyright, competition, and consumer law as well as those researching the development of the internal market more widely. Practising lawyers and in-house counsel who work on licensing and distribution agreements within Europe will also benefit from the analysis of new DSM legislation and associated case studies. Contributors include: A. Alen-Savikko, R.M. Ballardini, M.C. Gamito, K. Havu, K. He, O. Honkkila, M. Kivistoe, T. Knapstad, G. Mazziotti, D. Mendis, P. Mezei, V. Moscon, M. Oker-Blom, T. Pihlajarinne, T. Roos, J. Vesala, K. Weckstroem Lindroos

It has long been thought that fairness in European Consumer Law would be achieved by relying on information as a remedy and expecting the average consumer to keep businesses in check by voting with their feet. This monograph argues that the way consumer law operates today promises a lot but does not deliver enough. It struggles to avoid harm being caused to consumers and it struggles to repair the harm after the event. To achieve fairness, solutions need to be found elsewhere. Consumer Theories of Harm offers an alternative model to assess where and how consumer detriment may occur and solutions to prevent it. It shows that a more confident use of economic theory will allow practitioners to demonstrate how a poor standard of professional diligence lies at the heart of consumer harm. The book provides both theoretical and practical examples of how to combine existing law with economic theory to improve case outcomes. The book shows how public enforcers can move beyond the dominant transparency paradigm to an approach where firms have a positive duty to treat consumers fairly and shape their commercial offers in a way that prevents consumers from making mistakes. Over time, this 'fairness-by-design' approach will emerge as the only acceptable way to compete.

Acclaim for the first edition:'Steve Weatherill provides an excellent thought-provoking account of EU consumer law and policy. It will be required reading for all those interested in this important subject.' - Paul Craig, St John's College, Oxford, UK 'This is a characteristically excellent book by Steve Weatherill, combining incisive legal analysis of an important policy field with an authoritative and up-to-date account of the underlying legal and constitutional framework.' - Grainne de Burca, European University Institute, Italy This new edition of Stephen Weatherill's acclaimed book provides a comprehensive introduction to all facets of the EU's involvement in consumer law and policy. Consumers are expected to benefit from the EU's project of economic integration, enjoying wider choice and improved quality, and yet they need protection from the dangers that flow from malfunctioning and unfair markets. The EU's consumer law and policy is an attempt to have the best of both worlds - a liberalized yet properly regulated trading space for Europe. This highly esteemed book, now in a brand new edition, provides a comprehensive and up-to-date introduction to the subject, explaining the evolution of consumer law and policy in the EU in terms of both legislative and judicial activity. The book also situates EU consumer law and policy within its broader social, political and economic context, providing a window to a range of wider issues (and tensions) relating to Union regulatory strategies and their effect on the member states. It concludes with a newly written examination of the relationship between EU and national initiatives of market regulation - symbiosis or disruption? A readable yet critically sound textbook, this fully updated edition will be indispensable for both postgraduate and undergraduate students of EU law. It will also appeal strongly to all academics, regulators and practicing lawyers with an interest in EU trade law or indeed European law more generally. Contents: 1. The Evolution of Consumer Policy in the European Union 2. Negative Law and Market Integration 3. The Law and Practice of Harmonisation 4. Market Transparency and Consumer Protection 5. Regulating the Substance of Consumer Transactions 6. Product Liability 7. European Private Law 8. Advertising and Marketing Law 9. Product Safety Regulation 10. Access to Justice 11. Conclusion: The Challenges of EU Consumer Law Index

When faced with tackling food-borne illness, regulators have a number of competing goals. They must investigate in order to discover the source of the illness. Once the source is identified they must take action to prevent further cases of illness occurring. Finally, once the illness is under control, they may wish to take enforcement action against those responsible. Regulating Food-Borne Illness uses interviews and documentary analysis to examine the actions of regulators and considers how they balance these three tasks. Central to the regulators' role is the collection of information. Without information about the source, control or enforcement action cannot be taken. Investigation must therefore take place to produce the necessary information. Utilising theoretical frameworks drawn from regulation and biosecurity, Regulating Food-Borne Illness shows that control is prioritised, and that investigatory steps are chosen in order to ensure that the information necessary for control, rather than enforcement, is collected. This has the effect of reducing the possibility that enforcement action can be taken. The difficulty of evidence gathering and case-building in food-borne illness cases is exposed, and the author considers the methods aimed at reducing the difficulty of bringing successful enforcement action.

Contractual remedies aimed at performance create a well-known rift between common law and civil law traditions, in the one existing in the shadow of damages, while in the other regarded as a generally enforceable right following from the contract. Developments in approximation of laws in Europe, in particular in consumer sales law, suggest however that a convergence of these approaches may be within reach. Putting the focus on the contract of sale, which, as the most common type of contract, may fulfill a leading role in the harmonization process, this book provides a model for further convergence of European sales laws, engaging with issues of contract theory and comparative law lying at the heart of the process. Independently from this, the comparison between different systems is used in order to highlight particular problems in the remedial schemes of individual systems and to see whether a better solution may be borrowed from elsewhere. Scaling the interests of sellers and buyers as reflected in national laws as well as in uniform sets of rules such as the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods and the Principles of European Contract Law a plea is made for a primary position for performance-oriented remedies in the harmonization of European sales law. In this context, special significance is attributed to the possibility of cure by the seller, which has both practical and conceptual links to the buyer's remedies aimed at performance.

In a period when the nature and scope of the European internal market is hotly contested, this collection offers a topical analysis of the most pressing issues relating to market integration and public services in the EU. As the debate continues over the balance between state control and market freedom, questions are also raised about the relationship between EU regulation and national policy choices and the 'joint responsibility' of the Union and the Member States.
Outlining the most important current issues relating to market integration and public services in the EU, Market Integration and Public Services in the European Union also addresses the underlying, systemic questions of the relation between public services and markets, and services and the consumer. Chapters also examine the application of state aids and procurement law to public services. The final two chapters focus on two public service sectors where the mix of Treaty rules, case law, and legislation has operated in rather different ways: public service media and health services

This book seeks to fill a gap in the existing literature by describing the formulation, interpretation and enforcement of the rules on consumer contracts in China and the EU, and by mapping key similarities and differences. The study addresses selected issues regarding consumer contracts: sources of law in the two jurisdictions are first discussed to set the scene. Afterwards, one preliminary issue - how to define the concept of a consumer contract - and two substantive topics - unfair terms and withdrawal rights - are dealt with. Apart from the descriptive analysis, the book also provides possible explanations for these comparative findings, and argues that the differences in consumer contract rules can be primarily attributed to a disparity of markets. The book offers a valuable resource, particularly for researchers and practitioners in the fields of private law and comparative law.

The assumption that competition law and consumer protection are mutually reinforcing is rarely challenged. The theory seems uncontroversial. However, because a positive interaction between the two is presumed to be self-evident, the frequent conflicts that do in fact arise are often dealt with on an ad hoc basis, with no overarching legal authority. There is a clear need for a detailed and coherent understanding of exactly where the complements and tensions between the two policy areas exist. Dr Cseres' in-depth analysis provides that understanding. Proceeding from the dual perspective of law and economics that is, of justice, fairness, and reasonableness on the one hand, and of efficiency of the other she fully considers such underlying issues as the following: the role of competition law and consumer law in a free market economy; the notion of consumer welfare; the effect of the modernisation of EC competition law for consumers; economics theories of information, bounded rationality, and transaction costs; the special significance of vertical agreements and merger control; and, how consumers are affected by information asymmetries. The ultimate focus of the book is on current and emerging EC law, in which a rapprochement between the two areas seems to be under way. Dr. Cseres provides a knowledgeable guide to the various strands of theory, policy, and jurisprudence that (she shows) ought to be taken into account in the process, including schools of thought and law and policy experience in both Europe and the United States. A special chapter on Hungary, where post-1989 law and practice reveal a fresh and distinctly forward-looking understanding of the matter, is one of the book's most extraordinary features. "Competition Law and Consumer Protection" stands alone as a committed contribution to bridging a gap in legal knowledge the significance of which grows daily. It will be of immeasurable value to a wide range of professionals from academics and researchers to officials, policymakers, and practitioners in competition law, consumer protection advocacy, economic theory and planning, business administration, and various pertinent government authorities.

This book advocates a new way of thinking about mortgage contracts. This claim is based on the assumption that we currently live in a political economy in which consumer debt fulfils a social function. In the field of housing this is evidenced by the expansion of mortgage credit through which consumers are to purchase residential property as a means of social inclusion and personal welfare. It is suggested that contract law needs to adjust to this new social function in order to avoid welfare losses in terms of default, over-indebtedness, and possibly eviction. To this end, this book analyses theoretical contract law frameworks and makes concrete proposals for contract law in the EU legal order.

The Research Handbook on EU Consumer and Contract Law takes stock of the evolution of this fascinating area of private law to date and identifies key themes for the future development of the law and research agendas. This major Handbook brings together contributions by leading academics from across the EU on the latest developments and controversies in these important areas of law. The Handbook is divided into three distinct and thematic parts: firstly, authors examine a range of cross-cutting issues relevant to both consumer and contract law. The second part discusses specific topics on EU consumer law, including the consumer image within EU law, information duties and unfair contract terms. The final part focuses on a number of important subjects which remain current in the development of EU contract law and presents a number of innovative solutions to the challenges presented in parts one and two. This timely and insightful Handbook will provide both a comprehensive survey of this area of law for the novice researcher and fresh food-for-thought for scholars who have been researching this area of law for many years. Contributors include: E.A. Amayuelas, H. Beale, J.M. Bech Serrat, C. Busch, R. Canavan, P. Cartwright, O.O. Cherednychenko, G. Comparato, G. Cordero-Moss, A. Cygan, L. Gillies, M. Graziadei, M.W. Hesselink, G. Howells, C. Mak, V. Mak, H.-W. Micklitz, B. Pozzo, P. Rott, J. Rutgers, J.M. Smits, Y. Svetiev, E.T.T. Tai, C. Twigg-Flesner, W.H. van Boom, J. Watson, F. Zoll