Contact

The Consumer Code

Back to top

The Consumer Code

Earlier today, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition published the draft Consumer Goods and Services Industry Code of Conduct ("the Draft Code") for public comment and simultaneously issued an invitation for the public to comment on the Draft Code in terms of the Consumer Protection Act.

9 May 2025 1 min read Consumer Goods, Services & Retail Alert Article

In terms of the invitation, the public now have 45 calendar days (until 23 June 2025) to provide written inputs on the Draft Code.

The purpose of the Draft Code (in its present form) is stated to be to regulate the interactions between consumer goods and services providers and consumers themselves and to provide an alternative dispute resolution mechanism.

Amongst a wide range of requirements, the Draft Code requires that consumer goods and services providers (defined by the Draft Code as "Participants") –

  1. establish an effective Internal Complaints-Handling Process that is both accessible and understandable to all consumers; and
  2. keep proper records for a minimum of 3 (three) years of the complaints received.

The CDH Consumer Goods, Services and Retail sector will be publishing a series of alerts and updates regarding the Draft Code (and unpacking the provisions thereof) over the coming weeks. Stay up to date with the developments in the sector as they happen.

The information and material published on this website is provided for general purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. We make every effort to ensure that the content is updated regularly and to offer the most current and accurate information. Please consult one of our lawyers on any specific legal problem or matter. We accept no responsibility for any loss or damage, whether direct or consequential, which may arise from reliance on the information contained in these pages. Please refer to our full terms and conditions. Copyright © 2025 Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr. All rights reserved. For permission to reproduce an article or publication, please contact us cliffedekkerhofmeyr@cdhlegal.com.

You might also be interested in

25 Oct 2024

by Leila Moosa

Mental Health Awareness Month: Tips for employers to support their employees

Leila Moosa, Senior Associate in the Employment Law practice, joined Lebogang Mabange on Channel Africa to discuss 'Mental Health Awareness Month: Tips for Employers to Support Their Employees.'

Employment Law

12 Nov 2024

by Neha Dhana and Ledile Maloka

The conundrum of unsolicited bids

Municipalities regularly receive unsolicited bids, which are offers by third parties on their own initiative and without an invitation from a municipality to provide the municipality with goods or services. The general principle is that municipalities are not obliged to consider unsolicited bids as they fall outside the normal bidding process. In the circumstances, when a municipality does choose to consider an unsolicited bid it must do so within the prescribed legislative framework.

Dispute Resolution

3 min read

16 Jul 2024

by Veronica Connolly

International Arbitration: A comparison of the rules of selected arbitration institutions in Africa and Europe

Traditionally, many disputes involving African parties have been resolved by international arbitration at key arbitral centres in Europe. However, Africa also boasts well-established international arbitration institutions, and contracting parties have the choice of a wide range of arbitral institutions that provide specialised arbitralservices. 

International Arbitration

2 min read

6 Nov 2024

by Njeri Wagacha

Scrapping Non-Compete Clauses for a Stronger Economy

Njeri Wagacha, Partner in the Corporate & Commercial practice in Kenya, was recently featured in Business Daily, where she discussed her perspective on " Scrapping Non-Compete Clauses for a Stronger Economy ."

Corporate & Commercial Law

1 min read

22 Apr 2025

2023 Employment Equity Amendments and 2025 EEA Regulations Guideline

On 14 April 2023, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Employment Equity Amendment Act 4 of 2022 into law (Amendment Act). This act amends the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 (EEA). The effective date is 1 January 2025. On 15 April 2025, the Minister of Employment and Labour (Minister) repealed the Employment Equity Regulations of 2014 and, pursuant to Section 55(1) of the Employment Equity Act, 1998, published the Employment Equity Regulations, 2025. In addition, in terms of Sections 15A(1) and (2) of the Act, the Minister published a notice identifying national economic sectors and determining the applicable sectoral numerical targets (together referred to as the 2025 Regulations). The 2025 Regulations are effective from 15 April 2025.

Employment Law

1 min read

16 Aug 2024

by Marelise van der Westhuizen and Loyiso Bavuma

FIC provides clarity on beneficial ownership

Following consultations and comments from the tail end of last year, on 8 August 2024, the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) published Public Compliance Communication (PCC) 59, which deals with Beneficial Ownership (BO) and the application of section 21B of the Financial Intelligence Centre Act, 2001 (FIC Act). Below is a brief look at some of the most relevant aspects of PCC 59.

Dispute Resolution

5 min read

This website uses cookies to enhance the browsing experience. For more information, please see our Cookie Policy.

Accept Decline