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🇧🇪 Belgium /Economy & Trade

Belgian Jewelers Illegally Shorten Warranties, Consumer Watchdog Finds

From VRT NWS · (10m ago) Dutch Critical tone

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Many jewelers in Belgium are incorrectly stating their warranty terms, often offering only one year instead of the legal two years for new products.
  • Consumer watchdog "WinWin" on Radio 2 found that jewelers are misrepresenting the legal guarantee period on their websites and in their stores.
  • Experts confirm that the two-year legal warranty for new goods is non-negotiable and cannot be waived by sellers, except for second-hand items with prior customer notification.

Consumers in Belgium purchasing new jewelry should be aware that some jewelers are attempting to circumvent the law regarding warranties. A recent investigation by the consumer program "WinWin" on Radio 2 revealed that numerous jewelers are misrepresenting the legal guarantee period for their products, often stating a one-year warranty instead of the legally mandated two years for new items.

Op elk nieuw product dat je bij een professionele verkoper koopt, krijg je 2 jaar garantie. Dat is de wet en die regel geldt ook voor juwelen zoals oorbellen of kettingen.

States the fundamental legal right to a two-year warranty on new products in Belgium.

This practice is not only misleading but also unlawful. According to the Federal Public Service for Economy, there is no exception to the two-year legal guarantee specifically for jewelry or precious metals. Any clause that attempts to reduce or eliminate this statutory warranty is considered invalid. This means that even if a customer verbally agrees to a shorter warranty period, that agreement is legally void. Sellers cannot unilaterally impose shorter terms, regardless of the product's material.

De juwelier in kwestie beweert dat er een uitzondering bestaat voor juwelen, maar dat klopt niet, zegt de Federale Overheidsdienst Economie.

— Federale Overheidsdienst EconomieRefutes the claim that jewelry is exempt from the standard warranty period.

"The legal warranty period is 2 years for new consumer goods. And you cannot deviate from that. Not in the general terms and conditions, and not after a verbal agreement with the customer," stated Pieter-Jan De Koning, a consumer ombudsman. The only exception to this rule applies to second-hand products, where a seller may reduce the warranty period to a minimum of one year, provided they clearly inform the customer beforehand. This investigation serves as a crucial reminder for consumers to be vigilant and for businesses to adhere strictly to consumer protection laws, ensuring fair practices across the board.

Er bestaat geen uitzondering op de wettelijke garantie specifiek voor juwelen en/of edelmetalen. Elk beding dat de wettelijke conformiteitsgarantie van twee jaar opheft of vermindert, is onrechtmatig en bijgevolg nietig.

— Federale Overheidsdienst EconomieClarifies that no exceptions exist for jewelry and that any attempt to shorten the warranty is illegal.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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