Browsing by Author "Reid, Elspeth"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Liability for products in the Consumer Protection Bill 2006: a comparative critique
    (Juta Law Publishing, 2006-03) Loubser, Max; Reid, Elspeth
    INTRODUCTION: The Draft Consumer Protection Bill, recently published by the Department of Trade and Industry, encapsulates a vision for a ‘‘new consumer law’’, which has as its objective the establishment of ‘‘a fair, accessible and sustainable marketplace for consumer products and services’’. The cultural change necessary to address South Africa’s lack of ‘‘a vibrant and strong consumer movement’’ requires to be underpinned by legal certainty and accessibility. This is particularly important in areas of liability ‘‘characterised by imbalances in information and bargaining power between businesses and consumers’’. An important dimension to the proposed reform is therefore the creation of a strict liability framework to provide redress for consumers who have suffered harm due to defects in products.