Written reply to PQ on complaints received on defective non-vehicle consumer goods under Consumer Protection Act and outcomes of complaints from 2021 to 2025

Question:

Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry for each year from 2021 to 2025, (a) how many complaints concerning defective non-vehicle consumer goods were received by CASE under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act; (b) how many of these were not resolved in favour of the consumer; and (c) what are the three most common reasons for unsuccessful resolution of such cases. 

Written Answer by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong 

1.                  From 2021 to 2025, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) received between 156 and 176 complaints annually concerning defective non-vehicle consumer goods. Over two-thirds of these complaints were successfully resolved in favour of the consumer. 

2.                  Of the remaining one-third, around 26% were not resolved due to parties being unable to reach an amicable resolution or a lack of response from either the business or the consumer. The remaining 7% are recent cases that are still undergoing the negotiation process. 

3.                  The three most common reasons for unsuccessful resolution are:

                         i.         Disagreement over whether the good was defective or if the damage was due to wear-and-tear or consumer misuse;

                       ii.          Disagreement over the return policy, e.g. whether the good can be refunded instead of being repaired or replaced; and

                     iii.          Partial refunds for the good proposed by the supplier which were deemed insufficient by the consumer.