Supreme People’s Court of China Takes Steps to Strengthen Consumer Rights Protection

Beijing, The Gulf Observer: The Supreme People’s Court (SPC) of China has announced its commitment to enhancing the protection of consumer rights and interests through several strategic initiatives, including the introduction of new judicial interpretations and judgment rules.

Chen Yifang, a chief judge of the SPC’s first civil adjudication tribunal, outlined the key aspects of the SPC’s focus during a press conference on Tuesday:

Enforcement of Implementation Regulations: The SPC will bolster the enforcement of recently issued implementation regulations for the Law on the Protection of Consumers’ Rights and Interests to ensure comprehensive adherence to consumer protection standards.

Judicial Interpretation on Punitive Damages: The SPC will expedite the development of a judicial interpretation concerning punitive damages specifically for food and drug-related cases, aiming to strengthen deterrence against violations in these critical sectors.

Refinement of Judgment Rules for Prepaid Consumption: New judgment rules will be refined by the SPC to address issues related to prepaid consumption, including clarifying responsible parties, assessing contract validity, and establishing guidelines for contract termination.

Enhanced Collaboration with Administrative Bodies: The SPC is actively engaging in discussions with administrative bodies such as the State Administration for Market Regulation to establish robust and sustainable communication and cooperation mechanisms. This collaboration will involve information exchange and the provision of judicial suggestions to enhance consumer rights protection.

Legislative Support for Public Interest Litigation: The SPC will play an active role in legislative efforts related to public interest litigation, aiming to contribute to the improvement of the consumer public interest litigation system. This effort seeks to streamline legal processes and reduce associated costs for consumer rights protection.

These initiatives underscore the SPC’s dedication to promoting consumer rights and ensuring legal recourse for consumers in cases of infringement. The court’s commitment to collaboration and legislative support reflects China’s ongoing efforts to strengthen consumer protections and uphold the rule of law in the realm of consumer rights.