Purchases

The main statutes that cover your rights when shopping or buying a service are the Sale of Goods Act 1979 and the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 (as amended).

Your rights

The law says that goods must be of 'satisfactory quality'. Goods must be free from defects except when they've been brought to your attention.

They must be 'fit for their purpose'. This includes if the seller assures you they're capable of performing the way you describe you want them to.

They must be 'as described'. If you buy a product that has a label stating the product is 100 per cent fat-free, then that's what you should get.

These are your statutory rights which are contained in Acts of Parliament. All goods bought or hired from shops, street markets, mail order or door-to-door sellers are covered by these rights. They include goods bought in sales.

You have NO statutory rights if you simply change your mind about something you've bought, made a mistake, or were told about the fault before you bought it. The shop may operate an exchange policy allowing you to return goods for any reason within a specified time (for example, 28 days). Check before you buy. If not, then a shop isn't legally obliged to change goods or offer a refund if there's nothing wrong with them.

Buying on credit gives you extra protection. If you spend more than £100 on goods, the credit company is equally liable for any claim you have against the trader.