scholarly journals IN SEARCH OF PERFECTA: THE CONUNDRUM OF INCORRECTLY PRICED GOODS UNDER THE CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT 68 OF 2008

Obiter ◽  
2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neville Melville ◽  
Tanya Woker

In spite of the sea change over the past sixty-odd years in the way we shop, from a personal interaction with the local shopkeeper to a cashierless self-checkout, and the billions of transactions that take place daily in stores and supermarkets around the world, there is a dearth of legal precedent regarding the legal mechanics of these transactions. This is particularly so as far as determining the very important practical issue of at what point the sale is perfecta (irrevocably concluded) is concerned. For example, a consumer receives a catalogue from a well-known store in which a flat screen television is advertized on special for R599. Well knowing that such television sets are normally sold for over R6000 the consumer rushes off to purchase a set only to be faced with a large sign which reads as follows: “Unfortunately the advertised price was incorrect, the correct price is R5 999. We apologise for the inconvenience.”A slightly different scenario is where the consumer is only informed of this mistake after she has removed the television set from the shelf and taken it to the cashier who proceeds to ring up the price of R5 999. When the consumer points out that this is not the advertised price the cashier informs her that a mistake was made and that in fact R5 999 is the correct price. Is there a point in time when the supplier, despite a mistake, may be bound by the advertised price? (The purpose of this article is to consider the point in time when the contract is regarded as perfecta. The scenario set out above may also constitute bait-advertising. This is an issue which we intend to consider in our next article.) It is against this backdrop that we attempt to provide some guidance to those who are obliged to comply with the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, relating to displayed prices.In doing so, we shall consider the extent to which the Roman-Dutch-based common law has been influenced by English Law in this area of consumer protection. Reference will be made to the principles of the common law regarding the formation of a contract (particularly the point at which the contract comes into effect), quasi consent and mistake as well as relevant foreign precedent. We shall then deal with the changes brought about by the CPA.

Author(s):  
Wenette Jacobs ◽  
Philip N Stoop ◽  
René Van Niekerk

South Africa was in need of a comprehensive framework of legislation, policies and government authorities to regulate consumer-supplier interaction. The Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008, which was signed by the President of the Republic of South Africa on 29 April 2009 and published in the Government Gazette on 29 April 2009, now provides an extensive framework for consumer protection and aims to develop, enhance and protect the rights of consumers and to eliminate unethical suppliers and improper business practices. Certain areas of the common law regarding consumer rights have been codified by the Act and certain unfair business practices that were previously unregulated are now governed by the Act. The Act has a wide field of application. It applies to every transaction occurring within South Africa for the supply of goods or services or the promotion of goods or services and the goods or services themselves, unless the transaction is exempted from the application of the Act. The Act also specifically regulates aspects of franchise agreements. In terms of the Act, consumers obtain several new rights and some existing rights are broadened and reinforced. These rights are: the right to equality in the consumer market; privacy; choice; disclosure and information; fair and responsible marketing; fair and honest dealing; fair, just and reasonable terms and conditions; and fair value, good quality and safety. The last right in terms of the Act deals with a supplier's accountability to consumers. The authors critically analyse and discuss these rights. It is clear that the Act is written in favour of the consumer. Various provisions of the Act make inroads into the common-law position to strengthen the position of the consumer vis-à-vis the supplier and suppliers are undoubtedly facing an onerous task to prepare to comply, and eventually attempt to comply, with the Act. Although the Act has its own interpretation clause, which provides that it must be interpreted in a manner that gives effect to the purposes of the Act, the Act poses many uncertainties and interpretational and practical challenges. Many questions are therefore raised, some of which remain unanswered. These questions illustrate some of the uncertainties concerning the scope and possible interpretation of the fundamental consumer rights.


Tort Law ◽  
2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsty Horsey ◽  
Erika Rackley

This chapter considers the tort of breach of statutory duty. Unlike the statutory duties contained in the Occupiers’ Liability Acts 1957 and 1984 or the Consumer Protection Act 1987 where liability arises directly according to the provisions of the statute itself, in a civil action in the tort of breach of statutory duty, liability arises indirectly where a statute imposes a duty but does not identify a civil remedy in the event of its breach. The tort is a combination of statute and the tort of negligence; the duty is defined by statute, while the action lies in the common law. It should be noted that while much of the case law arises in the employment context, the tort of breach of statutory duty extends beyond this.


Author(s):  
Mark Lunney ◽  
Donal Nolan ◽  
Ken Oliphant

Although much of the law of tort is based upon general common law principles, there are a number of situations where special liability regimes have been created. This chapter focuses on four of these special liability regimes. The first regime to be considered is employers’ liability, whose origins lie in nineteenth-century common law. Two other special regimes are then considered: the liability of occupiers to those coming onto their land (governed by the Occupiers’ Liability Acts of 1957 and 1984) and liability in respect of defective products (governed by the Consumer Protection Act 1987). In both these areas Parliament has intervened to remedy perceived failings in the common law. The final part of this chapter considers the common law action for breach of statutory duty. This differs from the action for negligence in that the source of the defendant’s duty is not the common law; rather, the claimant’s case is founded on a breach of a duty imposed on the defendant by Parliament.


Author(s):  
Jacolien Barnard

The implementation of the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA) has great implications for the South African common law of sale. In this contribution the influence of the CPA on the seller’s common law duty to warrant the buyer against eviction is investigated. Upon evaluation of the relevant provisions of the CPA, the legal position in the United Kingdom – specifically the provisions of the Sales of Goods Act of 1979 – is investigated.


2021 ◽  
pp. 397-406
Author(s):  
Kirsty Horsey ◽  
Erika Rackley

This chapter considers the tort of breach of statutory duty. Unlike the statutory duties contained in the Occupiers’ Liability Acts 1957 and 1984 or the Consumer Protection Act 1987 where liability arises directly according to the provisions of the statute itself, in a civil action in the tort of breach of statutory duty, liability arises indirectly where a statute imposes a duty but does not identify a civil remedy in the event of its breach. The tort is a combination of statute and the tort of negligence; the duty is defined by statute, while the action lies in the common law. It should be noted that while much of the case law arises in the employment context, the tort of breach of statutory duty extends beyond this.


Tort Law ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 396-406
Author(s):  
Kirsty Horsey ◽  
Erika Rackley

This chapter considers the tort of breach of statutory duty. Unlike the statutory duties contained in the Occupiers’ Liability Acts 1957 and 1984 or the Consumer Protection Act 1987 where liability arises directly according to the provisions of the statute itself, in a civil action in the tort of breach of statutory duty, liability arises indirectly where a statute imposes a duty but does not identify a civil remedy in the event of its breach. The tort is a combination of statute and the tort of negligence; the duty is defined by statute, while the action lies in the common law. It should be noted that while much of the case law arises in the employment context, the tort of breach of statutory duty extends beyond this.


Author(s):  
Dr Karen Dyer

Each Concentrate revision guide is packed with essential information, key cases, revision tips, exam Q&As, and more. Concentrates show you what to expect in a law exam, what examiners are looking for, and how to achieve extra marks. The chapter discusses the law on product liability. It covers key debates, sample questions, diagram answer plan, tips for getting extra marks, and online resources. To answer questions on this topic, students need to understand the following: the general principles of negligence; the meaning of strict liability; and the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and its relationship with the common law regarding consumer protection.


Author(s):  
Ingars Gusāns

The aim of the study is to describe metal music albums of the year 2018 from the genre, textual and artistic aspects, looking for the common and diverse in the Latvian metal music world. It is recognised that there is still no unified collection of Latvian rock and metal music resources, and that makes the researcher’s work more interesting. Even though only ten metal albums came out in 2018, their metal styles are quite wide-ranging from symphonic metal and through thrash, groove, industrial metal to classic heavy metal, which is also played in an acoustic format. Album designs, in the author’s opinion, are classic but qualitative and do not damage the first impression, especially designs of those albums that were released on physical media. Because physical media is becoming an exclusive case, the trend continues to sell albums only in digital format (at least at first); this has been done by the bands “Revelation Attic”, “Yomi”, “Seira”, “NUVO”. Perhaps knowing that Latvia is too small to live on music only, as well as wishing to expand their audience and be noticed abroad, the 5 of the albums in question are recorded in English. The debuts of several newly formed bands (“Seira”, “Revelation Attic”, “Māra”) confirm the unlost interest in metal music and also show the attempts of these groups to build their way to Latvian and the world metal music scene, which manifests in their search for a strange sound (“NUVO”) or a strong female vocal use (“Oceanpath”, “Seira”, “Māra”). In general, Latvian metal music representatives continue the world’s metal music traditions, where it is extremely difficult to surprise because the number of existing bands is so large that it is almost impossible to be original, while the population of the planet is so big that many bands can access the listener so that each band also searches for its audience, both online and in concerts.


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