Authorities will expand legal cover to those paying for flats and medical fees
Loopholes in the mainland's consumer protection law that leave people unprotected when buying homes, medical care and a variety of other services will soon be closed, authorities say.
Under current legislation, only people who buy 'basic' goods such as food and clothing are considered to be consumers and are covered by the law.
The law, issued in 1993, only protects people who buy products that are for their 'basic living needs'. Those who have no legal protection include people who buy apartments and those who pay for services from hospitals, schools, travel agents or lawyers.
Apartments, the biggest purchase that most consumers make, are not included in the law, as few people were in a position to buy property on the mainland 10 years ago. But now, in a rapidly developing society, it is common for people to buy their own homes and many find themselves in disputes with the property developers.
'The current law is full of loopholes that manufacturers or retailers can easily get through,' said Liu Junhai, from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
'It has lots of broad principles but is not useful in practice. The rights of the consumers are often just trampled on.'