The following are important federal statutes that offer protection for consumers:
1. The Hazardous Products Act - requires suppliers of hazardous workplace materials to label containers, in both official languages, English and French, as hazardous as a condition of sale.
- specifies dangerous consumer products that cannot be sold or advertised in Canada.
- requires test results to set safety standards for certain products - e.g. children's car seats; seat belts; hockey helmets.
- provides for the appointment of inspectors with the power to search for and seize hazardous products.
2. The Competition Act - the principal law regulating advertising. This act makes misleading advertising illegal.
- requires merchants to sell any article with two price stickers at the lower price.
- makes "bait and switch" selling illegal - "bait and switch" is the practice of attracting buyers by offering goods at a low price and then saying the goods are not available and trying to sell more expensive goods instead.
- encourages competition between businesses to offer the best possible prices.
3. The Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act - sets rules for packing and labelling goods for sale.
- sets standards for package sizing to help buyers compare products.
- requires that names and addresses of manufacturers be shown.
4. The Textile and Labelling Act - requires labelling on fabrics, clothes, and household textiles (any kind of fabric).
5. The Food and Drugs Act - protects consumers from health injuries and fraud related to food and drugs.
- prevents companies from advertising products as cures for specific diseases.
- prevents the sale of food that is poisonous, unfit for consumption.
- defines restricted drugs and sets penalties for their possession and trafficking.
- requires new drugs to be investigated and monitored.