CNA Explains: That's not what I ordered – what can you do when a purchase goes sour?
What are the options - and limits - under Singapore's "lemon law"?

File photo of a man looking at a receipt. (Photo: iStock/pocketlight)
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SINGAPORE: Air and water purifier brand Sterra has apologised for making misleading claims, after customers reported facing leaks and malfunctions.
Some have told CNA that they would not seek refunds, with one describing dealing with the company as a “nightmare” and an “endless cycle”.
Who can help with consumer complaints in Singapore?
Most people have heard of CASE or the Consumers Association of Singapore, a non-profit and non-governmental organisation.
Under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act, CASE is the first port of call for local consumers with complaints.
The Act contains what's known as Singapore's "lemon law", which provides remedies against defective goods (lemons). These are goods that fail to meet standards of quality and performance, even after repeated repair.
CASE can help with getting redress and, in some cases, compensation.
CASE is also the organisation behind the Price Kaki app, which compares retail prices of supermarket items and tracks fuel prices.
But in the Sterra debacle, it was the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) that investigated and alerted the firm.
CCCS is a statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry. It was set up to administer the Competition Act as well as the earlier-mentioned Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act.
CCCS takes action against persistent unfair trade practices by retailers.
What kinds of unfair trade practices are we talking about?
In the Sterra example, CCCS found that the company made false and misleading claims about the quality of Singapore's tap water; about where its air and water purifiers are made; and about discounted prices.
Unfair trade practices covered under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act are listed in the law’s Second Schedule.
It's not an exhaustive list, but these practices include representing a product to have sponsorship, approval, characteristics, components, qualities, uses or benefits - that it doesn’t actually have.
Giving the customer a false impression that a product is needed is also unfair practice. So is making it seem like a repair or replacement is needed or desirable.
What can CASE and CCCS actually do?
CASE can warn the errant retailer or enter a voluntary agreement with them, where the retailer agrees to stop the unfair practice and compensate affected customers.
But there are constraints as CASE cannot compel businesses to participate, lawyers previously told CNA.
Affected customers must also pay membership and administrative fees to engage CASE to negotiate on their behalf.
That's unless they belong to a union or organisation that's already a CASE member.
On the other hand, CCCS gathers evidence of unfair trade practices, applies for court orders to compel retailers to stop such practices, and makes sure retailers comply with those orders.
It does not, however, have the power on its own to fine the retailer.
Yet if the retailer doesn’t comply with the court order, it can be taken to task for contempt of court. This is a criminal offence punishable with a fine or jail term.
The retailer may also be guilty of an offence if it refuses to provide information, destroys or falsifies evidence, lies or otherwise obstructs CCCS’ investigation into unfair practices.
Why does getting what I paid for have to be so difficult?
When a deal goes sour, consumers can take it up with the business themselves; go through consumer bodies like CASE and CCCS; or take the dispute to court themselves.
The court route can involve going through the Small Claims Tribunals of the State Courts, if the amount being claimed is under S$20,000. Otherwise, it'll be a civil trial.
The court can arrive at different outcomes, like ordering compensation or ordering the retailer to make good any deficiency in its product.
But the process can be financially and mentally exhausting. And it comes with no guarantees you'll get your money back or the product you were promised.
This was what aggrieved customers of an errant interior design firm found out, even after winning orders for refunds at the Small Claims Tribunals.
For now, efforts to strengthen consumer protection in Singapore appear to be more on-the-ground rather than legislative.
This includes educating consumers and business about fair trading practices, to avoid disputes in the first place. For example, in 2022, CCCS published a guide on fair trading practices for the renovation industry.
There are also efforts to identify and highlight tried-and-tested businesses, such as the Housing Board's directory of approved contractors. There's also CASE’s CaseTrust accreditation scheme across industries like e-commerce, renovation and wellness.