Consumer Law and Policy

Consumer law and policy has developed significantly since the first edition of this book. This fully revised edition takes into account these developments while maintaining much of the structure of the earlier edition. This edition includes material on the effects of globalisation, the many European initiatives, the growth of a new regulatory state in the UK and changes in the theory and practice of regulation of consumer markets. It incorporates recent legislative and judicial developments of the law, blending substantial extracts from primary legal materials such as case law, policy documents, and legislative materials, with a policy framework that includes references to comparative approaches. It includes a case study of the regulation of unfair terms in consumer contracts by the Office of Fair Trading, and discussion of the role of consumer law and policy in electronic commerce and the regulation of markets for consumer services. The book provides a critical introduction to the legal regulation of consumer markets by situating it within the context of broader debates about rationales for regulation, the role of the state and the growth of neo-liberalism.