Online Guidance To Sale Of Goods Act Launched

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) launched a new online resource to help businesses comply with the law when customers buy or return goods.

The Sale of Goods Act (SOGA) is the main law that relates to the purchase of consumer goods, covering issues including quality of goods, how they are described when being sold, whether they are fit for purpose and when a customer is entitled to a refund.

With the OFT estimating that problems with unsatisfactory goods cost consumers around £2 billion a year, it has worked with businesses and trade associations to develop the SOGA Hub to help businesses and sales staff understand their legal obligations and improve customer service.

The hub includes an at-a-glance guide to the law, detailed explanations, practical example and training materials and a quiz. The materials can be used as they are or incorporated into existing staff training programmes and are designed to be relevant to people dealing with various levels of consumer contact.

The OFT worked to develop the SOGA Hub with the British Retail Consortium, the Trading Standards Institute and businesses including the Home Retail Group, B&Q and a number of small and medium-sized retailers across the country.

LINKS: SOGA Hub