Legal Definitions - quality-of-products legislation

Quality-of-products legislation refers to a category of consumer protection laws designed to ensure that goods sold to the public meet certain standards of quality, performance, and durability. These laws provide legal recourse for consumers when products are defective, do not function as warranted, or fail to meet reasonable expectations for their intended use, especially if the seller or manufacturer cannot resolve the issues after a reasonable number of attempts.

Here are some examples illustrating quality-of-products legislation:

• Example 1: A persistently faulty new vehicle

  A consumer purchases a brand new SUV that, within the first few months, experiences recurring engine stalling issues. Despite taking the vehicle to the authorized dealership for repairs four separate times, the problem persists, making the car unreliable and potentially unsafe. The consumer then seeks a remedy under state law.

  Explanation: This situation falls under quality-of-products legislation because the new SUV, a significant consumer product, fails to meet expected performance and reliability standards. The law would provide remedies, such as a replacement vehicle or a refund, if the manufacturer cannot fix the defect after a reasonable number of attempts, thereby protecting the consumer from a product that does not meet basic quality expectations.

• Example 2: A defective major household appliance

  A family buys a new refrigerator that repeatedly fails to maintain a consistent cold temperature, causing food to spoil. The manufacturer's technicians visit three times over six months but are unable to permanently fix the cooling system, leaving the family without a functional appliance.

  Explanation: Here, the refrigerator's recurring defect demonstrates a failure to meet basic quality and performance expectations for a household appliance. Quality-of-products legislation would empower the family to seek a resolution, such as a new, functioning refrigerator or a refund, because the product is not performing its essential function reliably, despite repair efforts.

• Example 3: Malfunctioning professional-grade electronics

  A professional photographer purchases a high-end digital camera that consistently produces corrupted image files and frequently freezes during use. After two attempts by the camera manufacturer to repair the device, the issues remain, making the camera unusable for professional work.

  Explanation: This scenario illustrates how quality-of-products legislation protects consumers from goods that do not meet advertised or implied standards of quality and functionality, especially for specialized tools. The camera's persistent defects prevent it from performing its intended, specialized task effectively, triggering the protections offered by these laws to ensure the product meets its promised quality.