Quick answer: The Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA) implies terms into contracts between a trader and a consumer. Goods must be of satisfactory quality (s9), fit for a particular purpose (s10) and as described (s11). Services must be performed with reasonable care and skill (s49). If these terms are broken, the consumer has statutory remedies such as the short-term right to reject, repair or replacement, and a price reduction.
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 is on the 2026–2028 Cambridge A Level Law 9084 syllabus in Paper 3 (Law of Contract) under terms implied into a consumer contract. It replaced parts of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 and the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 for consumer contracts, and brought consumer rights together in one statute.
Who Does the Act Protect?
- Consumer (s2(3)) – an individual acting for purposes wholly or mainly outside their trade, business, craft or profession.
- Trader (s2(2)) – a person acting for purposes relating to their trade, business, craft or profession.
The implied terms below apply to trader-to-consumer contracts. Business-to-business sales are still mainly governed by the Sale of Goods Act 1979.
Implied Terms in Contracts for Goods
Section 9 – Satisfactory quality
Goods must meet the standard a reasonable person would consider satisfactory, taking into account the description, price and all other relevant circumstances. Quality includes fitness for the purposes goods of that kind are usually supplied for, appearance and finish, freedom from minor defects, safety and durability (s9(3)). Under the older law, a new car with many minor defects was not of merchantable quality in Rogers v Parish (1987), a principle that still helps explain s9.
The term does not cover defects specifically drawn to the consumer’s attention before the contract, or defects the consumer should have noticed if they examined the goods (s9(4)).
Section 10 – Fit for a particular purpose
If the consumer makes known a particular purpose, the goods must be reasonably fit for it, unless the consumer did not rely, or it was unreasonable to rely, on the trader’s skill or judgment. In Priest v Last (1903), a hot water bottle that burst was not fit for its obvious purpose, and in Grant v Australian Knitting Mills (1936), underwear containing chemicals caused dermatitis.
Section 11 – Goods to match the description
Goods must match any description given. In Beale v Taylor (1967), a car advertised as a 1961 model was actually two cars welded together, and did not match its description.
Sections 13–14 – Sample and model
Goods sold by sample must match the sample, and goods sold by reference to a model seen or examined must match the model.
Section 17 – Right to supply
The trader must have the right to sell or transfer the goods.
Digital Content
The CRA was the first UK statute to give specific rights for digital content such as apps, games, e-books and downloads. Digital content must be of satisfactory quality (s34), fit for a particular purpose (s35) and as described (s36).
Implied Terms in Contracts for Services
- s49 – the trader must perform the service with reasonable care and skill.
- s50 – information the trader gives about the service can be binding if the consumer relies on it.
- s51 – where no price is agreed, the consumer pays a reasonable price.
- s52 – where no time is agreed, the service must be performed within a reasonable time.
Remedies Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015
| Stage | Goods | Services |
|---|---|---|
| First remedy | Short-term right to reject for a full refund, usually within 30 days (s20, s22) | Repeat performance at no extra cost (s55) |
| Second remedy | Repair or replacement (s23) | Price reduction if repeat performance is impossible or not done within a reasonable time (s56) |
| Final remedy | Price reduction or the final right to reject (s24) | – |
For goods, defects that appear within six months of delivery are presumed to have been present at delivery unless the trader proves otherwise (s19(14)–(15)). The consumer can also claim damages for other losses under the general law.
Can a Trader Exclude These Terms?
No. Section 31 prevents a trader from excluding or restricting liability for the key implied terms about goods (ss9–17), and s57 does the same for s49 on services. A trader also cannot exclude liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence (s65). These rules link closely to exclusion clauses under UCTA 1977 and the CRA 2015, which is also part of Paper 3.
Evaluation of the Consumer Rights Act 2015
- Strengths: one clear statute for consumer rights; clear tiered remedies; the 30-day right to reject is simple for consumers; it covers digital content for the first time.
- Weaknesses: “satisfactory quality” and “reasonable time” are still open to interpretation; many consumers do not know their rights; pursuing a claim against a large trader can still be costly and slow.
Exam Tip: Applying the CRA in a Problem Question
- Is it a trader-to-consumer contract?
- Is it goods, digital content or services?
- Which implied term has been broken (s9, s10, s11, s49)?
- Which remedy is available at this stage and time (s22, s23, s24, s55, s56)?
- Has the trader tried to exclude liability (s31, s57, s65)?
Revise this with our guide to damages for breach of contract and the free Paper 3 contract notes.
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Check where this topic sits in the official Cambridge International AS & A Level Law 9084 syllabus.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the implied terms under the Consumer Rights Act 2015?
For goods: satisfactory quality (s9), fitness for a particular purpose (s10), matching the description (s11), sample (s13), model (s14) and the right to supply (s17). For services: reasonable care and skill (s49), binding information (s50), reasonable price (s51) and reasonable time (s52).
What is the short-term right to reject?
It lets a consumer reject faulty goods and get a full refund, normally within 30 days of taking ownership and delivery, under sections 20 and 22 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
Can a trader exclude the Consumer Rights Act implied terms?
No. Section 31 prevents exclusion of the key implied terms for goods and section 57 prevents exclusion of the duty to use reasonable care and skill for services.
Does the Consumer Rights Act apply to business-to-business contracts?
No. It applies to contracts between a trader and a consumer. Business-to-business contracts are mainly covered by the Sale of Goods Act 1979.
Is the Consumer Rights Act 2015 on the A Level Law syllabus?
Yes. The 2026–2028 Cambridge 9084 syllabus includes terms implied into a consumer contract by the Consumer Rights Act 2015 in Paper 3.
Final Thought
For the Consumer Rights Act 2015, learn the section numbers for the main implied terms and the tiered remedies. Examiners reward students who identify the exact term broken and the correct remedy for the stage the consumer has reached.