Problem stosowania niektórych przepisów o ochronie konsumenta do osób fizycznych prowadzących działalność gospodarczą

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to analyse and comment on changes introduced to the Civil Code and the Consumer Rights Act, under which some consumer regulations apply to sole traders. The analysis was carried out on the basis of the dogmatic method, i.e., the exegesis of legal texts, as well as the examination of legal literature and judicial decisions concerning the discussed issues. The considerations made in the article led to the formulation of conclusions stating, inter alia, that the introduced provisions may be a manifestation of an overproduction of the law, and the objective of the amendment, in the form of counteracting inadequate protection of this category of entities, could be achieved based on the existing provisions on consumers – starting with the very definition of a consumer. Even if this proposal was rejected and it was stated that the changes aimed at increasing the protection of sole traders were desirable, the legal solutions adopted were considered selective and incomplete.

Keywords

• natural person as a sole trader
• consumer protection
• business activity
• consumer
• entrepreneur