Product Liability

Product Liability covers all faulty / defective products, including food (the cause of food poisoning). Any goods purchased must be safe. If they are not, then you may make product liability claims against the manufacturer or supplier under the Consumer Protection Act 1987.

Part 1 of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 imposes strict liability on product manufacturers for harm caused by defective products. This means that where someone is killed or injured compensation can be claimed provided it can be proved that the product was defective and the defect caused the injury.

Who is liable?

• The manufacturer.
• A person who holds himself out as being the product manufacturers, for example by putting his name or trademark on the product.
• A person who imports the product into a member state of the European Union from outside the European Union in the course of a business.
• The 1987 Act also states that if any person who supplied a product cannot identify the source, he or she will be liable for the damage. If two or more parties are liable for the same damage, their liability will be joiint.

Product Liability Claims

Who can claim?

Any person who suffered as a result of the defective goods can sue, whether they were the initial purchaser or not.