Selection and purchase of household goods

You will gain an understanding of: Consumer rights and complaints procedure Legislation to protect consumer Organisations to protect consumer Purchasing- Retail outlets and advantages and

disadvantages of each. Dietary guidelines and food purchase and preparation. Management of food resources Sources of information to consumer Marketing strategies to secure consumer loyalty Food supply chain Technological advances in the distribution and retailing of

food.

TODAY we will cover:

Consumer rights Organisations to protect consumer Complaints procedure Conciliation and Arbitration

Consumer rights. The consumer has rights when purchasing goods and services. A consumer is someone who purchases goods or services. When you buy goods or services, you have a right to expect

them to be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described, if they are not, a consumer has a right to redress.

If you are sold faulty goods, what should you expect?

A full refund Compensation Repair or replace Reduction in price.

Homework There are various Acts of legislation which protect the

consumer.

Find out about the following acts to protect the consumer:

Sale and Supply of Goods Act, 1979/1994 Trade Description Act, 1968/1972 Food and Drugs Act 1955 Weights and Measures Act 1963 The Consumer Protection Regulations 2000 The Supply of Goods and Services Act, 1982.

Legislation to protect the consumer Sale and Supply of Goods Act, 1979/1994

Goods must be of satisfactory quality Goods must be fit for purpose Goods must be as described

Cont.. Trades Descriptions Act, 1968/1972

When the seller describes the goods to the consumer, they must not be misled in anyway about the types of goods, the price, quantity, manufacture or the way they have been tested.

Cont.. Food and Drugs Act 1955

This ensures that food and drugs are named and labelled correctly and that the food and drugs are produced in quality and hygienic conditions.

Weights and Measures Act 1963

This ensures that the weight of a product brought is accurate.

Cont.. Consumer Safety Act 1978

This Act protects consumers from goods which are dangerous.

The Consumer Protection Regulations 2000

The consumer is protected by this law if the goods do not turn up when they have been ordered, or if you do not like them once you have had a chance to look at them. The Act states that you should be given clear information.

Cont… The Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982

This Act requires a supplier of a service to carry out a service with reasonable care and skill, within a reasonable time and to charge reasonably.

If goods are not fit for purpose, the consumer is entitled to repair, replace or compensation.

Codes of practice. Codes of Practice (a set of guidelines and regulations to be

followed by members of an organization )

Retailers often belong to trade associations relevant to their businesses. Trade associations are groups of companies who offer a guarantee of good practice. Requirements of membership of these associations are listed in the codes of practice, they ensure that:

Servicing and repairs will be speedy and efficient Repairs paid for will be guaranteed Complaints dealt with speedily and fairly

Ombudsmen

This is a group who protect consumer rights.

Often companies belong to them and if a consumer is not satisfied, they can contact these.

Consumer Protection. Some agencies that protect consumers are:

The Office of Fair Trading The Citizens Advice Bureau The Environmental Health Department The Food Standards Agency

FIND OUT WHAT THESE DO- use information provided.

Consumer Protection. Some agencies that protect consumers are:

The Office of Fair Trading- they protect consumers and explain their rights, and ensure businesses operate fairly.

Citizens advice bureau- this is a voluntary organisation which advices consumers of their rights, as well as helping them with issues where the consumer doesn’t feel they have been dealt with fairly.

EHD- purpose is to maintain, improve and protect the health and quality of life of the community in its area.

The Food Standards Agency- this aims to reduce food-borne illness, help people to eat more healthily, promote honest and informative labelling and to enforce food laws.

Complaints procedure Consumers have clearly defined rights when purchasing

goods and services, but sometimes things go wrong, in these circumstances, the following should be followed;

Make sure all the facts are correct Go back to the shop as soon as possible Explain the problem and say what you expect Speak to someone in a position of authority Write to head office Write to the trade association if the retailer is a member If outcome is still unsatisfactory- conciliation,

arbitration.

Complaints procedure Conciliation Parties should settle their differences themselves.

Arbitration Alternative to court, in that both sides agree to put their

disputes to an independent arbitrator. Arbitrator makes a decision as to what happens.

Court action Last resort.

ACTIVITY 6

Revision

What rights do consumers have? If you are sold faulty goods, what

should you expect? Name 2 organisations that protect

the consumer Outline 2 stages in a complaints

procedure What is arbitration? Conciliation?

Purchasing

A range of food products can be brought in various establishments, it depends on your locality as to the range available.

List the range of outlets available for purchasing food:

Internet, supermarkets, corner shop, markets, butchers, bakers

LIST THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF EACH OUTLET

Dietary guidelines The aim of dietary guidance is to improve the health of the

population. Poor health can be associated with the overconsumption or under consumption of certain foods.

The government issues recommendations on the types of food we should eat and the ideal proportions.

The Eat well plate was produced by the FSA, after discussions with health professionals and educators. It shows how much should be eaten from each food group for meals and snacks.

It is divided into 5 segments- bread and starchy foods (33%), fruit and veg (33%), milk and dairy (15%), meat and fish and protein alternatives (12%), foods and drinks high in sugar and fat (7%).

Cont… In addition to the Eat well plate, the government has

other guidelines which individuals and households should follow. The FSA issued 8 practical tips:

1) base meals on starchy foods 2) eat lots of fruit and vegetables 3) eat more fish 4) cut down on saturated fat and sugar 5) try to eat no more than 6g of salt a day 6) get active and keep a healthy weight 7) drink plenty of water 8) do not skip breakfast

EAT WELL PLATE

Using the percentages on the eat well plate, draw and label your own version of the eat well plate showing examples of foods that you enjoy and eat frequently.

How does your diet compare to the Eat Well Plate that you should be following?

Are you consuming enough fruit and vegetables? Are you consuming enough rice and pasta etc..? Are you consuming too much fatty and sugary foods?

Practical opportunities Complete the following practical's:

A main course dish containing vegetables A starchy dish A dish rich in oily fish A suitable healthy breakfast

These all consider the government guidelines for a healthy diet.

Revision- Dietary guidelines. What is the Eat Well Plate?

What food groups are covered on the eat well plate?

What are some of the government guidelines for dietary intake?

TIPS for a healthy lifestyle. Starchy foods should be the basis of all meals. 5 portions of fruits and vegetables should be eaten daily to

prevent cancer. They are also high in Antioxidants. Eat 2 portions of fish a week, oily fish contains omega 3 fatty

acids, which protect against CHD. Fish is also low in saturated fat.

Take advantage of unsaturated fat which can lower blood cholesterol.

Sugars which are added to manufactured food are called Non-milk extrinsic sugars, and they can cause tooth decay. Avoid these foods.

Exercise is important in maintaining a healthy weight. 1.2L of water should be consumed daily to prevent

dehydration. Alcohol intake needs to be minimal to prevent liver damage.

Why are the advice tips necessary?

1 2 3 4

TASK

List ways of reducing fat intake in the diet. Consider food purchase, food preparation and cooking.

TASK- reducing fat in the dietPURCHASING PREPARATION COOKING

I.e.. Buy lean mince beef when shopping

Drain excess fat off meat

Do not fry in oil.

2

3

Food intake tips:

Produce a PowerPoint presentation which outlines the dietary guidelines, and how they can be met.

The management of food resources What factors may affect our food intake? What are some

wider issues?

Time- reliance on convenience foods/ more women working Equipment- ownership of labour saving devices has

increased Storage- space in fridge? Financial status- may only be able to afford value brands Capabilities of cook- lack of skill Health- inability to shop for food i.e.. elderly Dietary needs- may have to have certain foods in diet,

diabetic, gluten free.

ACTIVITY 18/19

Sources of information for services and goods. List the different ways that consumers can be informed

about goods and services:

Media consumer reports- which? TV- panorama, watchdog Internet Consumer help lines Consumer exhibitions- good food show Advertising Citizens Advice Bureau Trading Standards Office of Fair Trading

Marketing strategies and methods Food products need to be promoted to generate sales and

profits for food retailers. How can this be done? What strategies do stores use?

All food retailers use some in-store method to promote their products- BOGOF, reductions, free samples and demonstrations, product placement, announcements, in-store displays, packaging- use of persuasive language.

TIPS WHEN SHOPPING:

There are 2 main methods to promote a food product to a consumer:

Above the line- advertising through independent media- magazines and TV. More expensive.

Below the line- mail, flyers, packaging. Cheaper.

Methods used to ensure consumer loyalty

Loyalty cards- where points can be collected- money off coupons etc

In store facilities- cafes, toilets, optician, photo processing service, pharmacist etc..

Distribution and retailing The food chain involves the producer, the processor,

manufacturer and retailer.

Producers are farmers, fruit growers and fisheries. Processing techniques include washing, peeling (fruit

and vegetables) pasteurising (milk). Food manufacturers make food and drink products using

processed products (Factory production) Retailers sell food products to consumers. They can deal

directly with suppliers, processors and manufacturers.

Single sourcing is when one supplier is the main source of a food or food product for a retailer.

Technological advances in distribution and retailing; Greater availability of food products- ICT/ internet shopping,

importing anytime/EPOS/B2B/purchasing options) Convenience during shopping- electronic scales/ self scan/ chip

and pin device/ticketing systems/survellaince tags. Improvements in food safety- temperature sensors in fridges Faster and efficient methods of transport- ship, plane and lorry Developments in stock control- bar coding can tell how much of

a product is left in stock and how much needs to be ordered, RFID, EPC, Smart shelf technology.

Developments in food packaging- Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP), Freeze-drying preserves quality i.e.... Strawberries, coffee. Aseptic packaging- tetra packs for juices although not recyclable.

Extend the above points using the textbooks.

Technological advances in distribution and retailing

Using textbooks pages 157-160, make notes on the technological advances in distribution and retailing of food.