EC launches campaign to increase consumer rights awareness in Hungary

Budapest (MTI) – Hungary is one of thirteen countries where the European Commission has launched a campaign to increase awareness of EU consumer rights, the development ministry and the consumer protection authority said on Friday.

The ministry and the Hungarian Authority for Consumer Protection cited a 2012 Eurobarometer survey which found that Hungarians were generally less aware of their consumer rights than the citizens of most European member states.

Although 29 percent of the Hungarian respondents said they had encountered problems when purchasing a product over the 12-month period prior to the survey, Hungary placed 24th when ranked according to participants’ knowledge of consumer rights.

The campaign aims to raise consumer rights awareness in areas in which Hungarians were less knowledgeable according to the survey. The EC points out in the campaign that consumers have the right to a free repair or replacement of a product which turns out to be different from the one advertised.

The commission tells consumers that they are entitled to a refund or a price reduction if their product cannot be replaced or repaired. The campaign also highlights the fact that EU customers have 14 days to reconsider and withdraw from an online purchase.

EU law provides strong rights to European consumers, who enjoy a high level of protection when making online purchases, Vera Jourova, EU Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, said. She said EU consumer rights can only be exercised by those who are aware of them, adding that recent studies suggest that no more than 12 percent of European consumers are fully aware of their fundamental rights.

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters