Consumer Rights and Responsibilities
Consumer Rights and Responsibilities
This domain examines the legal and practical position of a buyer of goods or services. In Botswana, the Consumer Protection Act 2018 and the Competition and Consumer Authority provide the main framework, alongside contract law and the Small Claims Court. The exam tests rights, responsibilities, redress and deceptive practices.
Core rules
- Consumers have rights to safety, accurate information, choice, fair treatment, redress and consumer education.
- A trader may not use false or misleading claims about price, quality, origin or benefits.
- A receipt is evidence of the transaction; a warranty is a manufacturer or seller promise, while statutory rights exist independently of it.
- Signing a contract creates obligations. Read terms on credit, lay-by, hire purchase and return policies before signing.
- Complaints should be prompt, factual and documented: keep the receipt, packaging, photographs and written messages.
Worked example
A learner buys a phone for P1,800. It stops charging after three weeks. The shop says “no refunds” and offers no repair. The learner should keep the receipt, return the phone promptly, state the fault in writing, and ask for repair, replacement or refund. If the shop refuses, the learner can escalate to the Competition and Consumer Authority or use the Small Claims Court. A “no refunds” sign does not cancel statutory consumer protection. The learner should not continue using a faulty charger, which may be unsafe.
Traps that cost marks
- Saying a receipt is optional; without proof, redress is harder.
- Treating a warranty as the only source of rights.
- Accepting verbal promises without recording them.
- Delaying complaint until the evidence or statutory period is lost.
- Confusing a manufacturer’s guarantee with the seller’s legal responsibility.