ISO 22059:2020

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 22059
First edition
2020-01
Guidelines on consumer warranties/
guarantees
Lignes directrices concernant les droits et garanties aux
consommateurs
Reference number
ISO 22059:2020(E)
©
ISO 2020

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ISO 22059:2020(E)

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© ISO 2020
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ii © ISO 2020 – All rights reserved

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ISO 22059:2020(E)

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Purpose and principles . 3
5 General requirements . 3
5.1 Status of warranty/guarantee . 3
5.1.1 Pre-condition for registration . 3
5.1.2 Registration of warranty/guarantee. 4
5.1.3 Infringement of statutory rights . 4
5.1.4 Transferability of warranty/guarantee . 4
5.2 Terms of warranty/guarantee . 4
5.2.1 Language . 4
5.2.2 Disclosure . 4
5.2.3 Explanation of warranty/guarantee . 4
5.2.4 Warranty/guarantee document . 4
5.2.5 Claims/complaints . 4
5.3 Duration of warranty/guarantee . 4
5.3.1 Perishable product . 4
5.3.2 Non-perishable product . 5
5.4 Breach of warranty/guarantee . 5
5.4.1 Details of breach . 5
5.4.2 Process to resolve the breach . 5
5.4.3 Recurrent defects . 5
5.5 Exclusion of warranty/guarantee . 5
5.5.1 Exclusion/limitation of liability . 5
5.5.2 Unfair terms . 5
6 Categories of warranties/guarantees . 5
6.1 General . 5
6.2 Warranty/guarantee as to title/legal rights . 5
6.3 Warranty/guarantee as to quality . 5
6.4 Warranty/guarantee as to fitness for particular purpose . 6
6.5 Warranty/guarantee that products comply with description . 6
6.6 Warranty/guarantee that products comply with sample . 6
6.7 Warranty/guarantee as to repairs and spare parts . 6
6.8 Warranty/guarantee as to inspection . 6
6.9 Express warranty/guarantee . 6
7 General requirements . 7
7.1 Right of redress against suppliers . 7
7.1.1 General. 7
7.1.2 Failures that can be repaired . 7
7.1.3 Failures that cannot be repaired . 7
7.2 Right of redress against manufacturers . 8
7.2.1 General. 8
7.2.2 Implied warranties/guarantees . . 8
7.2.3 Express warranties/guarantees . 8
7.3 Manufacturers' and suppliers’ redress policy . 8
Annex A (informative) Flowcharts of right of redress . 9
Bibliography .11
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ISO 22059:2020(E)

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www .iso .org/ directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www .iso .org/ patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see www .iso .org/
iso/ foreword .html.
This document was prepared by Project Committee ISO/PC 303, Guidelines on consumer warranties and
guarantees.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www .iso .org/ members .html.
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ISO 22059:2020(E)

Introduction
The rapid globalization of production and the shift in manufacturing and distribution systems has
created a new need for consumer protection. The internet and mobile telephones have revolutionized
the way the business is conducted. The increased usage of the internet has had a great impact
on developed and developing countries. Nearly all countries are experiencing a high demand of
e-commerce activities. This new phenomenon has led to the disparity of knowledge between traders
and consumers. The advancement of technology has placed at the disposal of consumers a range of
complex and sophisticated products, consumable and non-consumable. To protect consumers against
faulty products requires the design of new measures.
Rapid expansion of developing economies has led to the inclusion of millions of new consumers in the
global market. While this is of great benefit to the standard of living of those consumers, the levels
of protection they receive from consumers' law and good business practices is much lower than that
received by consumers in the developed world.
The economic importance of product warranties/guarantees is to provide protection against
unsatisfactory performance of products. They state that products meet a level of quality and
performance that would be reasonable to expect, given their price and description. Traditionally,
warranties and guarantees provide less than full insurance by manufacturers and/or suppliers against
faulty products and this serves as risk-sharing between consumers, manufacturers and/or suppliers.
Manufacturers, for example, give warranties/guarantees to suppliers, who, in turn, give the same
warranties/guarantees to consumers. In this way, all parties connected with the supply of a product
are given protection. In addition, manufacturers and/or suppliers often give express warranties/
guarantees directly to consumers as an incentive to buy their products. Warranties/guarantees help to
improve the quality of products and can be used as a competitive tool in the marketplace.
Warranties/guarantees state exactly what is covered and what is not covered, the time frame of
coverage and what manufacturers and/or suppliers expect of consumers. In addition, warranties/
guarantees state the remedies offered by the manufacturer and/or supplier to consumers in the event
of product failure.
This document can play a significant part in assisting manufacturers and suppliers in understanding
their responsibilities towards consumers while, at the same time, equipping consumers with the sense
of their rights to safe, durable and well-performing products. This document is intended to enhance and
promote confidence in the products supplied by the manufacturer and supplier.
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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 22059:2020(E)
Guidelines on consumer warranties/guarantees
1 Scope
This document specifies the form and content of warranties/guarantees that a manufacturer and/or
supplier can use to address reasonable expectations of products by consumers.
This document is applicable to transactions between businesses and consumers of new and used
products, including online transactions. This document is also applicable to products associated with
services to complete a transaction (such as, buying clothes that need alteration).
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at http:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
business
undertaking carried out for profit in the course of which products are acquired or supplied whether at
a price or otherwise
3.2
consumer
individual member of the general public purchasing or using property, products or services for private
purposes
[SOURCE: ISO 26000:2010, 2.2]
3.3
consumer product
product (3.8), including digital content (3.4), designed and produced primarily for, but not limited to,
personal use, including its components, parts, accessories, instructions, packaging and labelling
[SOURCE: ISO 10377:2013, 2.2, modified – addition of 'including digital content'.]
3.4
digital content
data which are produced and supplied to a consumer in digital form
3.5
exclusion
limitation of liability
terms in a warranty/guarantee (3.15) by which a manufacturer (3.6) or supplier (3.13) seeks to exclude
or limit all or some of their liabilities
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ISO 22059:2020(E)

3.6
manufacturer
natural or leg
...