During the week from January 6, 2025, to January 12, 2025, the Service Juridique handled a total of 21 consultations concerning various consumer protection issues. The primary mode of communication utilized was e-mail, through which 14 consultations were conducted. Additionally, reddit was used for 5 consultations, while mastodon facilitated communication in 2 cases.

The topic of unfair business practices emerged as a prevalent issue, constituting the subject of 10 consultations. Consumers were generally advised to document any instances of such practices thoroughly and to seek formal recourse through mediation or legal action, if necessary. In 8 cases, consumers expressed concerns regarding warranty on consumer goods. The advice provided typically involved pursuing rectification through the seller’s customer service channels and understanding the statutory rights that protect their purchases under EU law.

Banking queries were a significant focus in 6 consultations. In these cases, the Service Juridique provided guidance on how to request clear fee disclosures from banking institutions and how to proceed with lodging complaints if services were deemed unsatisfactory. There were 4 instances in which consumers sought guidance on pseudo medicine/health claims. In these consultations, advice centered on encouraging consumers to rely on evidence-based medical treatments and to be cautious of unverified health claims.

Issues related to unfair general terms and conditions arose in 5 instances. Consumers were instructed to review terms carefully and to consider any ambiguities or unfair clauses that might infringe on their rights. In 2 consultations, questions about health claims in food products were addressed, with consumers being advised to scrutinize product labeling and marketing for compliance with EU regulations.

It is noteworthy that one consultation could cover multiple topics, thereby demonstrating the complex nature of some consumers’ concerns. Furthermore, there were no recorded instances where the Service Juridique was unable to offer relevant support due to issues being outside the scope of consumer protection or beyond the EU jurisdiction during this period.

This week counseling was provided by WhizzBang.