中华人民共和国消费者权益保护法
发布日期： 1993-10-31 发布部门： 全国人大常委会
生效日期： 1994-01-01 类 别： 工商管理
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中华人民共和国主席令
（ 第十一号）
《中华人民共和国消费者权益保护法》已由中华人民共和国第八届全国人民代表大会常务委员会第四次会议于1993年10月31日通过，现予公布，自1994年1月1日起施行。
中华人民共和国主席 江泽民
1993年10月31日
中华人民共和国消费者权益保护法
（1993年10月31日
第八届全国人民代表大会常务委员会第四次会议通过）
第一章 总则
第一条 为保护消费者的合法权益，维护社会经济秩序，促进社会主义市场经济健康发展，制定本法。
第二条 消费者为生活消费需要购买、使用商品或者接受服务，其权益受本法保护；本法未作规定的，受其他有关法律、法规保护。
第三条 经营者为消费者提供其生产、销售的商品或者提供服务，应当遵守本法；本法未作出规定的，应当遵守其他有关法律、法规。
第四条 经营者与消费者进行交易，应当遵循自愿、平等、公平、诚实信用的原则。
第五条 国家保护消费者的合法权益不受侵害。
国家采取措施，保障消费者依法行使权利，维护消费者的合法权益。
第六条 保护消费者的合法权益是全社会的共同责任。
国家鼓励、支持一切组织和个人对损害消费者合法权益的行为进行社会监督。
大众传播媒介应当做好维护消费者合法权益的宣传，对损害消费者合法权益的行为进行舆论监督。
第二章 消费者的权利
第七条 消费者在购买、使用商品和接受服务时享有人身、财产安全不受损害的权利。
消费者有权要求经营者提供的商品和服务，符合保障人身、财产安全的要求。
第八条 消费者享有知悉其购买、使用的商品或者接受的服务的真实情况的权利。
消费者有权根据商品或者服务的不同情况，要求经营者提供商品的价格、产地、生产者、用途、性能、规格、等级、主要成份、生产日期、有效期限、检验合格证明、使用方法说明书、售后服务，或者服务的内容、规格、费用等有关情况。
第九条 消费者享有自主选择商品或者服务的权利。
消费者有权自主选择提供商品或者服务的经营者，自主选择商品品种或者服务方式，自主决定购买或者不购买任何一种商品、接受或者不接受任何一项服务。
消费者在自主选择商品或者服务时，有权进行比较、鉴别和挑选。
第十条 消费者享有公平交易的权利。
消费者在购买商品或者接受服务时，有权获得质量保障、价格合理、计量正确等公平交易条件，有权拒绝经营者的强制交易行为。
第十一条 消费者因购买、使用商品或者接受服务受到人身、财产损害的，享有依法获得赔偿的权利。
第十二条 消费者享有依法成立维护自身合法权益的社会团体的权利。
第十三条 消费者享有获得有关消费和消费者权益保护方面的知识的权利。
消费者应当努力掌握所需商品或者服务的知识和使用技能，正确使用商品，提高自我保护意识。
第十四条 消费者在购买、使用商品和接受服务时，享有其人格尊严、民族风俗习惯得到尊重的权利。
第十五条 消费者享有对商品和服务以及保护消费者权益工作进行监督的权利。
消费者有权检举、控告侵害消费者权益的行为和国家机关及其工作人员在保护消费者权益工作中的违法失职行为，有权对保护消费者权益工作提出批评、建议。
第三章 经营者的义务
第十六条 经营者向消费者提供商品或者服务，应当依照《中华人民共和国产品质量法》和其他有关法律、法规的规定履行义务。
经营者和消费者有约定的，应当按照约定履行义务，但双方的约定不得违背法律、法规的规定。
第十七条 经营者应当听取消费者对其提供的商品或者服务的意见，接受消费者的监督。
第十八条 经营者应当保证其提供的商品或者服务符合保障人身、财产安全的要求。对可能危及人身、财产安全的商品和服务，应当向消费者作出真实的说明和明确的警示，并说明和标明正确使用商品或者接受服务的方法以及防止危害发生的方法。
经营者发现其提供的商品或者服务存在严重缺陷，即使正确使用商品或者接受服务仍然可能对人身、财产安全造成危害的，应当立即向有关行政部门报告和告知消费者，并采取防止危害发生的措施。
第十九条 经营者应当向消费者提供有关商品或者服务的真实信息，不得作引人误解的虚假宣传。
经营者对消费者就其提供的商品或者服务的质量和使用方法等问题提出的询问，应当作为真实、明确的答复。
商店提供商品应当明码标价。
第二十条 经营者应当标明其真实名称和标记。
租赁他人柜台或者场地的经营者，应当标明其真实名称和标记。
第二十一条 经营者提供商品或者服务，应当按照国家有关规定或者商业惯例向消费者出具购货凭证或者服务单据；消费者索要购货凭证或者服务单据的，经营者必须出具。
第二十二条 经营者应当保证在正常使用商品或者接受服务的情况下其提供的商品或者服务应当具有的质量、性能、用途和有效期限；但消费者在购买该商品或者接受该服务前已经知道其存在瑕疵的除外。
经营者以广告、产品说明、实物样品或者其他方式表明商品或者服务的质量状况的，应当保证其提供的商品或者服务的实际质量与表明的质量状况相符。
第二十三条 经营者提供商品或者服务，按照国家规定或者与消费者的约定，承担包修、包换、包退或者其他责任的，应当按照国家规定或者约定履行，不得故意拖延或者无理拒绝。
第二十四条 经营者不得以格式合同、通知、声明、店堂告示等方式作出对消费者不公平、不合理的规定，或者减轻、免除其损害消费者合法权益应当承担的民事责任。
格式合同、通知、声明、店堂告示等含有前款所列内容的，其内容无效。
第二十五条 经营者不得对消费者进行侮辱、诽谤，不得搜查消费者的身体及其携带的物品，不得侵犯消费者的人身自由。
第四章 国家对消费者合法权益的保护
第二十六条 国家制定有关消费者权益的法律、法规和政策时，应听取消费者的意见和要求。
第二十七条 各级人民政府应当加强领导，组织、协调、督促有关行政部门做好保护消费者合法权益的工作。
各级人民政府应当加强监督，预防危害消费者人身、财产安全行为的发生，及时制止危害消费者人身、财产安全的行为。
第二十八条 各级人民政府工商行政管理部门和其他有关行政部门应当依照法律、法规的规定，在各自的职责范围内，采取措施，保护消费者的合法权益。
有关行政部门应当听取消费者及其社会团体对经营者交易行为、商品和服务质量问题的意见，及时调查处理。
第二十九条 有关国家机关应当依照法律、法规的规定，惩处经营者在提供商品和服务中侵害消费者合法权益的违法犯罪行为。
第三十条 人民法院应当采取措施，方便消费者提起诉讼。对符合《中华人民共和国民事诉讼法》起诉条件的消费者权益争议，必须受理，及时审理。
第五章 消费者组织
第三十一条 消费者协会和其他消费者组织是依法成立的对商品和服务进行社会监督的保护消费者合法权益的社会团体。
第三十二条 消费者协会履行下列职能：
（一）向消费者提供消费信息和咨询服务；
（二）参与有关行政部门对商品和服务的监督、检查；
（三）就有关消费者合法权益的问题，向有关行政部门反映、查询，提出建议；
（四）受理消费者的投诉，并对投诉事项进行调查、调解；
（五）投诉事项涉及商品和服务质量问题的，可以提请鉴定部门鉴定，鉴定部门应当告知鉴定结论；
（六）就损害消费者合法权益的行为，支持受损害的消费者提起诉讼；
（七）对损害消费者合法权益的行为，通过大众传播媒介予以揭露、批评。
各级人民政府对消费者协会履行职能应当予以支持。
第三十三条 消费者组织不得从事商品经营和营利性服务，不得以牟利为目的向社会推荐商品和服务。
第六章 争议的解决
第三十四条 消费者和经营者发生消费者权益争议的，可以通过下列途径解决：
（一）与经营者协商和解；
（二）请求消费者协会调解；
（三）向有关行政部门申诉；
（四）根据与经营者达成的仲裁协议提请仲裁机构仲裁；
（五）向人民法院提起诉讼。
第三十五条 消费者在购买、使用商品时，其合法权益受到损害的，可以向销售者要求赔偿。销售者赔偿后，属于生产者的责任或者属于向销售者提供商品的其他销售者的责任的，销售者有权向生产者或者其他销售者追偿。
消费者或者其他受害人因商品缺陷造成人身、财产损害的，可以向销售者要求赔偿，也可以向生产者要求赔偿。属于生产者责任的，销售者赔偿后，有权向生产者追偿。属于销售者责任的，生产者赔偿后，有权向销售者追偿。
消费者在接受服务时，其合法权益受到损害的，可以向服务者要求赔偿。
第三十六条 消费者在购买、使用商品或者接受服务时，其合法权益受到损害，因原企业分立、合并的，可以向变更后承受其权利义务的企业要求赔偿。
第三十七条 使用他人营业执照的违法经营者提供商品或者服务，损害消费者合法权益的，消费者可以向其要求赔偿，也可以向营业执照的持有人要求赔偿。
第三十八条 消费者在展销会、租赁柜台购买商品或者接受服务，其合法权益受到损害的，可以向销售者或者服务者要求赔偿。展销会结束或者柜台租赁期满后，也可以向展销会的举办者、柜台的出租者要求赔偿。展销会的举办者、柜台的出租者赔偿后，有权向销售者或者服务者追偿。
第三十九条 消费者因经营者利用虚假广告提供商品或者服务，其合法权益受到损害的，可以向经营者要求赔偿。广告的经营者发布虚假广告的，消费者可以请求行政主管部门予以惩处。广告的经营者不得提供经营者的真实名称、地址的，应当承担赔偿责任。
第七章 法律责任
第四十条 经营者提供商品或者服务有下列情形之一的，除本法另有规定外，应当依照《中华人民共和国产品质量法》和其他有关法律、法规的规定，承担民事责任：
（一）商品存在缺陷的；
（二）不具备商品应当具备的使用性能而出售时未作说明的；
（三）不符合在商品或者其包装上注明采用的商品标准的；
（四）不符合商品说明、实物样品等方式表明的质量状况的；
（五）生产国家明令淘汰的商品或者销售失效、变质的商品的；
（六）销售的商品数量不足的；
（七）服务的内容和费用违反约定的；
（八）对消费者提出的修理、重作、更换、退货、补足商品数量、退还货款和服务费用或者赔偿损失的要求，故意拖延或者无理拒绝的；
（九）法律、法规规定的其他损害消费者权益的情形。
（相关资料: 裁判文书14篇 相关论文1篇 实务指南）
第四十一条 经营者提供商品或者服务，造成消费者或者其他受害人人身伤害的，应当支付医疗费、治疗期间的护理费、因误工减少的收入等费用，造成残疾的，还应当支付残疾者生活自助具费、生活补助费、残疾赔偿金以及由其扶养的人所必需的生活费等费用；构成犯罪的，依法追究刑事责任。
（相关资料: 地方法规18篇 案例2篇 裁判文书59篇 相关论文6篇 实务指南）
第四十二条 经营者提供商品或者服务，造成消费者或者其他受害人死亡的，应当支付丧葬费、死亡赔偿金以及由死者生前扶养的人所必需的生活费等费用；构成犯罪的，依法追究刑事责任。
第四十三条 经营者违反本法第二十五条规定，侵害消费者的人格尊严或者侵犯消费者人身自由的，应当停止侵害、恢复名誉、消除影响、赔礼道歉，并赔偿损失。
第四十四条 经营者提供商品或者服务，造成消费者财产损害的，应当按照消费者的要求，以修理、重作、更换、退货、补足商品数量、退还货款和服务费用或者赔偿损失等方式承担民事责任。消费者与经营者另有约定的，按照约定履行。
第四十五条 对国家规定或者经营者与消费者约定包修、包换、包退的商品，经营者应当负责修理、更换或者退货。在保修期内两次修理仍不能正常使用的，经营者应当负责更换或者退货。
对包修、包换、包退的大件商品，消费者要求经营者修理、更换、退货的，经营者应当承担运输等合理费用。
（相关资料: 部门规章1篇 裁判文书4篇 相关论文2篇 实务指南）
第四十六条 经营者以邮购方式提供商品的，应当按照约定提供。未按照约定提供的，应当按照消费者的要求履行约定或者退回货款；并应当承担消费者必须支付的合理费用。
第四十七条 经营者以预收款方式提供商品或者服务的，应当按照约定提供。未按照约定提供的，应当按照消费者的要求履行约定或者退回预付款；并应当承担预付款的利息、消费者必须支付的合理费用。
第四十八条 依法经有关行政部门认定为不合格的商品，消费者要求退货的，经营者应当负责退货。
第四十九条 经营者提供商品或者服务有欺诈行为的，应当按照消费者的要求增加赔偿其受到的损失，增加赔偿的金额为消费者购买商品的价款或者接受服务的费用的一倍。
第五十条 经营者有下列情形之一，《中华人民共和国产品质量法》和其他有关法律、法规对处罚机关和处罚方式有规定的，依照法律、法规的规定执行；法律、法规未作规定的，由工商行政管理部门责令改正，可以根据情节单处或者并处警告、没收违法所得、处以违法所得一倍以上五倍以下的罚款，没有违法所得的处以一万元以下的罚款；情节严重的，责令停业整顿、吊销营业执照：
（一）生产、销售的商品不符合保障人身、财产安全要求的；
（二）在商品中掺杂、掺假，以假充真，以次充好，或者以不合格商品冒充合格商品的；
（三）生产国家明令淘汰的商品或者销售失效、变质的商品的；
（四）伪造商品的产地，伪造或者冒用他人的厂名、厂址，伪造或者冒用认证标志、名优标志等质量标志的；
（五）销售的商品应当检验、检疫而未检验、检疫或者伪造检验、检疫结果的；
（六）对商品或者服务作引人误解的虚假宣传的；
（七）对消费者提出的修理、重作、更换、退货、补足商品数量、退还货款和服务费用或者赔偿损失的要求，故意拖延或者无理拒绝的；
（八）侵害消费者人格尊严或者侵犯消费者人身自由的；
（九）法律、法规规定的对损害消费者权益应当予以处罚的其他情形。
第五十一条 经营者对行政处罚决定不服的，可以自收到处罚决定之日起十五日内向上一级机关申请复议，对复议决定不服的，可以自收到复议决定书之日起十五日内向人民法院提起诉讼；也可以直接向人民法院提起诉讼。
第五十二条 以暴力、威胁等方法阻碍有关行政部门工作人员依法执行职务的，依法追究刑事责任；拒绝、阻碍有关行政部门工作人员依法执行职务，未使用暴力、威胁方法的，由公安机关依照《中华人民共和国治安管理处罚条例》的规定处罚。
第五十三条 国家机关工作人员玩忽职守或者包庇经营者侵害消费者合法权益的行为的，由其所在单位或者上级机关给予行政处分；情节严重，构成犯罪的，依法追究刑事责任。
第八章 附则
第五十四条 农民购买、使用直接用于农业生产的生产资料，参照本法执行。
第五十五条 本法自1994年1月1日起施行。
译文:
Law of the People's Republic of China on Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Consumers
Law of the People's Republic of China on Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Consumers- 1994 (Adopted by the 4th Session of the Standing Committee of the Eighth National People's Congress on October 31, 1993, promulgated by Order No.11 of the President of the People's Republic of China on October 31, 1993, and effective on January 1, 1994)
Contents
Chapter I General Provisions
Chapter II Rights of the Consumers
Chapter III Obligations of the Operators
Chapter IV State Protection on Consumers' Lawful Rights and Interests
Chapter V Consumers' Organizations
Chapter VI Settlement of Disputes
Chapter VII Legal Responsibility
Chapter VIII Supplementary Provisions
Chapter I General Provisions
Article 1
This Law is formulated in order to protect the lawful rights and interests of the consumers, to maintain the socioeconomic order, and to promote sound development of the socialist market economy.
Article 2
Where the consumers, for the need of living consumption, purchase and utilize commodities or accept services, their rights and interests are protected by this Law; and in the absence of such provisions in this Law, are protected by other relevant laws and regulations.
Article 3
The operators shall, in providing commodities they produce or sell or in providing services, abide by this Law; and in the absence of such provisions in this Law, abide by other relevant laws and regulations.
Article 4
The operators and the consumers shall, in transactions, observe to the principle of willingness, equality, fairness and honesty and reputation.
Article 5
The state protects the lawful rights and interests of the consumers from being infringed upon.
The state adopts measures in ensuring the consumers to exercise their rights according to law and in defending the lawful rights and interests of the consumers.
Article 6
The protection of the consumers' rights and interests is a common responsibility of the whole society.
The state encourages and supports all organizations and individuals to carry out social supervision over any infringement act of the lawful rights and interests of the consumers.
Mass media shall give a good publicity to the defense of the consumers' rights and interests and carry out media supervision over any infringement act of the lawful rights and interests of the consumers.
Chapter II Rights of the Consumers
Article 7
In purchasing and utilizing commodities or accepting services, the consumers enjoy the inviolable right of the personal and property safety.
The consumers have the right to demand the commodities or services provided by the operators accord with the requirements of ensuring the personal and property safety.
Article 8
The consumers enjoy the right to know the true situation of the commodities purchased and utilized and the services accepted.
The consumers have the right, according to different situations of the commodities or services, to demand the operators to provide such relevant information as the commodities' price, origin of production, manufacturer, purpose, performance, specification, grade, major compositions, date of production, term of validity, certification of inspection, operation manual, after-sale service, or the services' content, standard and charge.
Article 9
The consumers enjoy the right to choose the commodities or services of their choice.
The consumers have the right to select independently the operators who provide commodities or services, to choose independently the varieties of commodities and the kind of services, and to decide independently to purchase a commodity or not and to accept a service or not.
The consumers have the right to make comparison, examination and selection in independently choosing commodities and accepting services.
Article 10
The consumers enjoy the right of fair dealings.
In purchasing commodities or accepting services, the consumers have the right to obtain such fair dealing conditions as quality warranty, reasonable price and correct meterage, and have the right to refuse any forced dealing act of the operators.
Article 11
A consumer who suffers injury or damage to the person or property in purchasing and utilizing commodities or accepting services enjoys the right to seek compensation according to law.
Article 12
The consumers enjoy the right to organize and form according to law social organizations to defend their lawful rights and interests.
Article 13
The consumers enjoy the right to obtain the knowledge and information about consumption and the protection of consumers' rights and interests.
The consumers shall exert themselves to master the knowledge and operation skills on the commodities or services they need, utilize the commodities correctly and heighten their self-protection consciousness.
Article 14
The consumers enjoy the right, in purchasing and utilizing commodities or accepting services, to have their human dignity and nationality customs and traditions being respected.
Article 15
The consumers enjoy the right to carry out supervision over the commodities, services and the protection work of consumers' rights and interests.
The consumers have the right to inform against and complain any infringement act of the rights and interests of consumers and any act of law-violation and neglect of duties of state organs and their functionaries in the protection work of consumers' rights and interests, and have the right to put forward their criticism and suggestions on the work of protecting the consumers' rights and interests.
Chapter III Obligations of the Operators
Article 16
The operators shall, in providing the consumers with commodities or services, fulfill their obligations in accordance with the provisions of the Product Quality Law of the People's Republic of China and other relevant laws and regulations.
Where there is an agreement between the consumer and the operator, obligations shall be fulfilled according to the agreement, but the agreement of two parties may not violate the provisions of laws and regulations.
Article 17
The operators shall solicit opinions from the consumers on the commodities or services they provide and subject themselves to supervision from the consumers.
Article 18
The operators shall guarantee that the commodities or services they provide accord with the requirements of ensuring the personal and property safety. In regard to the commodities or services which pose potential hazard to personal and property safety, the operators shall make true to fact descriptions and clear warning to the consumers, specify and label the correct method in utilizing the commodities or accepting services and the method of preventing the occurrence of injury and damage.
When the operators discover that the commodities or services they provide exist serious defects and might cause injury or damage to the personal and property safety even under correct utilization of the commodities and acceptance of the services, the operators shall promptly report to relevant administrative departments and inform the consumers and take measures to prevent the occurrence of such injury and damage.
Article 19
The operators shall provide true to fact information about commodities or services to the consumers and may not make misleading false publicity.
The operators shall make true to fact and clear answers on inquiry of the consumers on the quality and utilization method of the commodities or services provided.
The shops shall label clear price on commodities provided.
Article 20
The operators shall clearly label their real designations and marks.
The operators who hire counters or sites from others shall clearly label their real designation and marks.
Article 21
The operators who provide commodities or services shall, according to relevant state regulations or commercial usage, issue the certificate of purchasing or service vouchers to the consumers; where the consumer asks for the certificate of purchasing or service voucher, the operator must issue thereof.
Article 22
Under normal utilization of the commodities and acceptance of services, the operators shall guarantee the quality, performance, purpose and term of validity, which the commodities or services they provide should have, but excluding the case where the consumers have already known the hidden defects prior to the purchase of such commodities or the acceptance of such services.
Where the operators use advertisements, product descriptions, sample products or other means to indicate the quality status of the commodities or services, they shall guarantee that the actual quality of the commodities or services they provide shall comply with the indicated quality.
Article 23
Where the operators, according to state regulations or agreements with the consumers, commit themselves to take such responsibilities as repair, replacement and return of goods in providing the commodities or services, they shall fulfill such responsibilities according to state regulations or agreements and may not delay intentionally or refuse to fulfillment without reasons.
Article 24
The operators may not make unfair or unreasonable regulations against the consumers in such forms as form contract, notice, statement or shop poster, or diminish or waive their due civil responsibility for infringing the consumers' lawful rights and interests.
Where the form contracts, notices, statements or shop posters contain the content listed in the preceding paragraph, such content is null and void.
Article 25
The operators may not insult or defame the consumers, may not search the body of the consumers and the articles they carry, and may not infringe upon the consumers' freedom of person.
Chapter IV State Protection on Consumers' Lawful Rights and Interests
Article 26
The state shall, in formulating laws, regulations and policies related to the protection of consumers' rights and interests, heed opinions and demands of the consumers.
Article 27
People's governments at all levels shall strengthen their leadership, organize, co-ordinate and supervise and urge relevant administrative departments in doing well the work on the protection of consumers' lawful rights and interests.
People's governments at all levels shall strengthen their supervision, prevent the occurrence of the act which hazards the personal and property safety of the consumers, and timely put an end to the act which hazards the personal and property safety of the consumers.
Article 28
Industrial and commercial administration departments of the people's governments at various levels and other relevant administrative departments shall, in accordance with the provisions of laws and regulations and within their respective scopes of functions and duties, adopt measures to protect the lawful rights and interests of the consumers.
Relevant administrative departments shall listen to opinions of the consumers and their social organizations on problems concerning operators' trading acts and the quality of commodities and services, and timely investigate into and handle such problems.
Article 29
Relevant state organs shall, in accordance with the provisions of laws and regulations, punish those operators for the illegal and criminal offense of infringing the lawful rights and interests of the consumers in their supply of commodities or services.
Article 30
People's courts shall take measures to convenience the consumers in filing suits. Where a case of dispute over consumers' rights and interests meets the indictment conditions as provided in the Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China, the people's court must take cognizance of and timely hear such case.
Chapter V Consumers' Organizations
Article 31
The consumer association and other consumer organizations are social organizations which are established according to law to carry out social supervision over commodities and services, and to protect the lawful rights and interests of the consumers.
Article 32
The consumer association exercises the following duties and functions:
1. to provide the consumers with services on consumption information and consultancy;
2. to join relevant administrative departments in supervising over and inspecting into commodities and services;
3. to report to relevant administrative departments, inquire into and put forward suggestions on issues concerning the lawful rights and interests of the consumers;
4. to take cognizance of consumer complaints, investigate into and mediate such complaints;
5. where the complaints involve quality of commodities and services, the consumer association may submit to the appraising departments for appraisal, and the appraising departments shall inform them on the appraisal conclusion;
6. to support the consumer whose rights and interests are infringed upon in filing the suit against the act which infringes the lawful rights and interests of the consumers; and
7. to expose and criticize through the mass media such acts which infringe
upon the lawful rights and interests of the consumers.
People's governments at all levels shall support the consumer associations in exercising their duties and functions.
Article 33
Consumer organizations may not engage in commodity operations and profit-oriented services, and may not recommend commodities and services to the society for the purpose of making profits.
Chapter VI Settlement of Disputes
Article 34
A dispute of the rights and interests of the consumer arising between the consumer and the operator may be settled through the following channels:
1. to settle through mediation with the operator;
2. to request the consumer association for mediation;
3. to make the complaint to the relevant administrative department;
4. to apply to the arbitration organ for arbitration according to the arbitration agreement with the operator; and
5. to bring a suit to the people's court.
Article 35
A consumer whose lawful rights and interests are infringed upon when purchasing and utilizing the commodity may claim for compensation from the seller. Where, after such compensation is made by the seller, the responsibility lies with the manufacturer or other sellers who provide the commodity to the seller, the seller has the right to recover its losses from the manufacturer or other seller.
A consumer or other victim suffers injury and damage to the person or property due to the defects of the commodity may claim for compensation from the seller, and may also claim for compensation from the manufacturer. Where the responsibility lies with the manufacturer and after such compensation is made by the seller, the seller has the right to recover its losses from the manufacturer. Where the responsibility lies with the seller and after the manufacturer has paid such compensation, the manufacturer has the right to recover its losses from the seller.
A consumer whose lawful rights and interests are infringed upon when accepting services may claim for compensation from the service provider.
Article 36
A consumer whose lawful rights and interests are infringed upon in purchasing and utilizing the commodity or accepting the service may claim for compensation from the enterprise which take both the rights and obligations of the original enterprise which has split or merged.
Article 37
Where illegal operators who use business licenses of others provide commodities and services and infringe upon the lawful rights and interests of the consumers, the consumers may claim for compensation from such operators and may also claim for compensation from the holders of such licenses.
Article 38
A consumer whose lawful rights and interests are infringed upon in purchasing the commodity or accepting the service from sales exhibitions or leased counters may claim for compensation from the seller or service provider. After the conclusion of such sales exhibitions and the expiration of the lease term of such counters, the consumer may claim for compensation from the organizers of such sales exhibitions or lessors of such counters. The organizers of such sales exhibitions and lessors of such counters have the right, after making such compensation, to recover their losses from the sellers or service providers.
Article 39
A consumer whose lawful rights and interests are infringed upon because of false advertisements used by the operator to provide the commodity or service may claim for compensation from the operator. The consumer may request the competent administrative department to mete out punishment to the advertising operator who publishes the false advertisement. An advertising operator who can not provide real designation and address of the operator shall bear responsibility of compensation.
Chapter VII Legal Responsibility
Article 40
Except where this Law provides otherwise, an operator who provides the commodity or service shall assume civil responsibility in accordance with the provisions of the Product Quality Law of the People's Republic of China and other relevant laws and regulations if the operator is under one of the following circumstances:
1. Where the commodity has the defect;
2. Where the commodity does not have the operating characteristics that the commodity should have and the description does not make at the selling time;
3. Where the commodity is inconsistent with the product standards marked on the commodity or its package;
4. Where the commodity is inconsistent with the quality condition indicated by product description or the sample products;
5. To produce the commodity clearly declared to be eliminated by the state or to market the commodity that has become ineffective or has gone bad;
6. To market the commodity in insufficient weight;
7. Where the contents of services or charges run counter to the agreement;
8. To delay arbitrarily or refuse without justified reason the demand by the consumer on repair, refurbishment, replacement, return of goods, making up the difference in quantity, refunding payment for goods and service charges or indemnity; and
9. Other circumstances as provided by laws and regulations on the infringement of the consumers' rights and interests.
Article 41
An operator who causes injury to person of the consumer or other victims in providing the commodity or service shall pay the medical expenses, nursing costs during the treatment period and loss in income caused due to loss of working days; where disability is resulted, the operator shall also pay such costs as self-assistance apparatus for the living of the disabled, living allowance, indemnity for the disabled and the living cost required by his or her dependents; where the case constitutes a crime, criminal responsibility shall be investigated according to law.
Article 42
An operator who causes the demise to the consumer or other victims in providing the commodity or service shall pay such costs as funeral expenses, indemnity for fatality and the living expenses required by the dependents of the dead; where the case constitutes a crime, criminal responsibility shall be investigated according to law.
Article 43
An operator who, in violation of the provisions of Article 25 of this Law, infringes upon the personal dignity or the personal freedom of the consumer shall stop such infringement, rehabilitates the reputation of the consumer, eliminate influence, make an apology, and compensate losses of the consumer.
Article 44
An operator who causes damages to property of the consumer in providing the commodity or service shall, according to the demand of the consumer, assume civil responsibility in such ways as repair, refurbishment, replacement, return of goods, making up the difference in quantity of the commodity, refunding payment for the commodity and service charges or indemnifying the losses. Where there is a separate agreement, such agreement shall apply.
Article 45
With respect to the commodities guaranteed for repair, replacement and return as prescribed by the state or agreements between the operators and the consumers, the operators shall take the responsibility of repair, replacement and return. Where the commodity can still not be used normally after two repairs during the warranty term, the operator shall take the responsibility of replacement or return.
With respect to the large commodities guaranteed for repair, replacement and return, which the consumer demands for repair, replacement or return, the operator shall assume such reasonable costs as transportation.
Article 46
An operator who provides the commodity by means of mail-order shall provide such commodity as agreed upon. The operator who fails to provide as agreed upon shall honor the agreement or refund the payment for goods according to the demand of the consumer; and shall also cover the reasonable expenses that the consumer must pay.
Article 47
An operator who provides the commodity or service by means of advance received shall provide thereof as agreed upon. The operator who fails to provide as agreed upon shall honor the agreement or refund the advance payment according to the demand of the consumer; and shall also indemnify interests for the advance payment and compensate the reasonable expenses that the consumer must pay.
Article 48
Where a consumer demands to return the commodity which is not up to the standards as determined by the relevant administrative department according to law, the operator shall be responsible to return.
Article 49
An operator who has the fraudulent act in providing the commodity or service shall, according to the demand of the consumer, increase the compensation to the losses suffered by the consumer, the amount of increased compensation is one times of the commodity price or service charges that the consumer has paid for the commodity purchased or for the service accepted.
Article 50
An operator who is under one of the following circumstances shall be treated in accordance with the provisions of laws and regulations where the Product Quality Law of the People's Republic of China and other relevant laws and regulations have the provisions on the organs in charge of punishment and penalty methods; and in the absence of such provisions in laws and regulations, the operator shall be ordered to make corrections by the industrial and commercial administration department, and may be, according to the case, separately or accumulatively given a warning, confiscated its ill-gotten gains, imposed a fine of more than one times and less than five times of its ill-gotten gains, and if there is no ill-gotten gains, imposed a fine of less than 10,000 yuan; where the case is serious, the operator shall be ordered to suspend operation for rectification or be revoked of its business license:
1. the commodity produced or sold which is not up to the requirements on ensuring the personal and property safety;
2. adulterating or mixing up the commodity, using the spurious as the genuine, using the second as the best, or falsifying the substandard commodity as the qualified commodity;
3. manufacturing the commodity which has been declared to be eliminated by the state or selling the commodity which is no longer effective or has gone bad;
4. falsifying the origin of production of the commodity, falsifying or using without authorization the name and address of other manufacturer, counterfeiting or using without authorization such quality certifications as certification mark and brand-name and quality marks;
5. marketing the un-inspected or un-quarantined commodity which should be subject to the inspection or quarantine or counterfeiting the inspection or quarantine conclusion;
6. making misleading and false publicity on the commodity or service;
7. arbitrarily delaying or refusing without justified reasons demands of the consumer on repair, refurbishment, replacement, return of goods, making up the difference in commodity quantity, refunding payment for goods and service charges, or indemnity for losses;
8. infringing upon the personal dignity or the personal freedom of the consumer;
9. other circumstances which infringe upon the rights and interests of the consumers and which shall be penalized as provided by laws and regulations.
Article 51
An operator who does not agree with the administrative penalty decision may, within 15 days from the date of receiving the penalty decision, apply for a reconsideration to the next higher organ. The operator who does not agree with the reconsideration decision may, within 15 days from the date of receiving the reconsideration decision, bring a suit to the people's court; the operator may also directly bring a suit to the people's court.
Article 52
Whoever uses such methods as violence or threaten to hinder the functionary of the relevant administrative department from exercising the duty of office according to law shall be investigated for criminal responsibility according to law; whoever does not use such methods as violence or threaten to refuse or hinder the functionary of the relevant administrative department from exercising the duty of office according to law shall be punished by the public security organ in accordance with the provisions of the Regulations for Public Security Control and Punishment of the People's Republic of China.
Article 53
Any functionary of the state organs who neglects his or her duty of office or covers up the operator's act which infringes upon the lawful rights and interests of the consumer shall be subject to the administrative penalty by the unit to which the functionary belongs or the superior organ; where the case is serious and constitutes a crime, criminal responsibility shall be investigated according to law.
Chapter VIII Supplementary Provisions
Article 54
Means of production purchased and utilized by farmers directly used in agricultural production shall be treated with reference to this Law.
Article 55
This Law shall enter into effect as of January 1, 1994.