Have you ever bought headphones online and they arrived broken? Or has your phone bill included fees for additional services that you don’t want? Or does the streaming service you pay for often not work?

 

What are your rights in such cases and how can you react?

Your rights are regulated by the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), which aims to protect you from fraud or unfair commercial practices. It also lists the state authorities, such as the Commission for Consumer Protection (CCP), the Communications Regulatory Commission, the Ministry of Tourism, and other institutions, as well as the activities of civil associations that provide this protection.

As a consumer, you have the right to receive clear, accurate, and complete information about both the product or service, such as price, manufacturer, ingredients or materials, method of use, expiration date, and the trader. It must be contained in the label of the goods (when you buy them in physical stores) or be indicated in the product description (when you buy it online), be understandable and not misleading. The requirements for the availability of such information derive largely from the European Union (EU) law and are also applicable when you shop from websites of retailers registered outside Bulgaria but within the EU.

You have the right to buy goods or services that do not endanger your life, health or property. If you have purchased a defective product, you have the right to make a complaint to the trader, which you can submit within 2 years of purchase. You can do this at any store in the trader's chain, not only at the location where you purchased it. You can request a repair, replacement, or return the goods and have the amount refunded. If you have suffered damage from a defective product, you have the right to claim compensation.

The law also protects you from unfair commercial practices and hidden terms in contracts or advertisements with false information. If you have concluded a contract as a result of such a practice, you have the right to a price reduction or to cancel it. This is why it is important to carefully read the contracts you conclude to make sure that they describe clearly and precisely what service you should receive (what the trader has undertaken to provide), as well as to keep your copy of the contract in case of a dispute with the trader. If you shop from an online store, check the terms and conditions for delivery and complaints - they act as a contract with the trader, as by shopping from that site, you accept and agree to their terms and conditions.

You have the right to submit complaints, signals and suggestions to the Commission for Consumer Protection (CCP), its regional branches or other control bodies that protect consumers. In addition to paper, you can also use the electronic form on the CCP website. If you are not sure exactly which control body to address your complaint to, you can submit it to the CCP, which will redirect it.

The CCP website explains in detail how to submit a complaint/signal, what it should contain and what documents need to be attached.

The legal warranty for all products is 2 years from their reception. You must keep the receipt or invoice as proof of purchase, as well as any document establishing the non-conformity or defect.

When purchasing online, you have the right to return your order within 14 days without giving a reason. The trader is obliged to provide information about the return conditions. You can also cancel a service contract concluded by phone, via a website or a mobile application within 14 days. If you have also purchased a product with the contract, you must return it to the trader in good condition and complete. You will also owe a partial monthly fee for the period of use. But, if you want to return a product purchased from a physical store, the trader is not obliged to accept it back and refund you.

Please note that the Consumer Protection Act also contains exceptions to the right of withdrawal for certain goods - food; underwear; software downloaded from an internet site, etc.

It is important to know that you have all these guarantees and protections as a consumer only when you shop from a trader within the meaning of the Commerce Act, but not when you shop from private individuals, for example in groups on social networks or on specialized sites for selling personal belongings.

When you know your consumer rights, you will be able to protect yourself from unnecessary costs – for example, not paying unnecessarily high fees, getting your money back in case of poor service or a defective product, as well as avoiding “hidden” terms in contracts.

You can learn more about your rights as consumers and what you can do if they are infringed upon on the CPC website.

 

You can see some useful tips for smart shopping here. 

 

Useful links

 

Consumer Protection Commission

Helping consumers

Active consumers

Communications Regulation Commission

Measuring the quality of Internet access service

Consumer Protection Law