Consumers have reason to be pleased with new legislation on guarantees for consumer goods. The new law approved recently has drawn complaints from the retail sector. The legislation applies the Directive 1999/44/CE on sale of consumer goods and associated guarantees from the European Union.

In practice, the new advantages for consumers can be seen as setbacks for merchants. For example, the merchant cannot pass on cost of repairs, costs, labor or transport to consumers.
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In general, new products will have a mandatory two-year guarantee in cases of manufacturing flaws. Second-hand goods will have a 12-month guarantee from the date of purchase. The change is important because the previous law called for a guarantee of six months.
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But services, housing and utilities such as water, gas and electricity are exempt from these guarantees.

If a consumer detects a flaw in a product purchases in the last six months, all they need to do is go back to the merchant and request a replacement or repair. All they need do is present the product for the merchant to be obliged to replace it or fix it. But the same complaint can be filed after six months, although the customer must prove that the defect does not stem from misuse of the product but rather from its manufacture.

In the even the store cannot replace or repair the item, the customer can demand compensation or a discount proportionate to the flaw, or to get all of his or her money back. But this coverage does not apply to second-hand goods.

People interested in learning more about these guarantees or filing a complaint can consult with consumer associations or the consumer affairs office of their regional government or town council.