Consumer protection in Italy

Consumer protection is called tutela dei consumatori in Italy. Its central rules are collected in the Codice del Consumo and are supported by European Union law and general contract law. A consumer is generally a natural person acting outside a business or professional activity. A business purchase may therefore follow different rules even when the same product is involved. Before a purchase, the trader should provide clear information about the main features, total price, identity, and important conditions. Advertising and sales practices must not mislead or unfairly pressure consumers. Standard contract terms must be understandable and cannot create certain unfair imbalances against the consumer. A hidden or confusing term is not automatically valid merely because it appears in small print. Goods must conform to the contract. The legal guarantee, called garanzia legale, concerns the seller’s responsibility when goods do not have the agreed qualities or function properly under the applicable rules. Possible remedies for non-conforming goods can include repair, replacement, price reduction, or ending the contract. The appropriate remedy depends on the defect and the practical circumstances. Online, telephone, and other distance contracts usually have special information duties and may include a diritto di recesso, or withdrawal right. This right is not universal, and exceptions can apply to particular goods or services. The trader is normally the first contact for a complaint. Receipts, order confirmations, product descriptions, photographs, delivery records, and correspondence help establish the transaction and problem. Consumer associations, dispute-resolution bodies, courts, and public authorities may provide different forms of help. The Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato, or AGCM, addresses unfair commercial practices but does not replace every individual claim. A commercial warranty offered by a manufacturer can add benefits, but it should not be confused with mandatory rights against the seller. Consumers should check both documents without allowing one to obscure the other.