The Swedes lose 40 billion on failed purchases annually – this is how you avoid the mistakes

Deficient renovations, canceled trips and non-functioning goods.

Every year, Swedes lose at least SEK 40 billion on unsuccessful purchases, according to a new study by the Swedish Consumer Agency.

– Enormous figures like this indicate that many people are not aware of their rights as a consumer, says consumer advisor Daniel Bernspång, who explains that the right action can save you time and money.

Consumers lose both time and money when purchases of services and goods go wrong.

This concerns, for example, goods that do not work, services that are not carried out as desired, trips that are canceled and agreements that are difficult to cancel.

In 2023, Swedish consumers lost a total of SEK 40 billion. Which is SEK 6,500 per consumer. This is shown by a new study carried out by the Swedish Consumer Agency – where 8,000 cases of consumer problems collected over a four-year period were reviewed.

The sum of 40 billion is as much as one percent of Sweden’s GDP.

– It is too high a sum and we want to reduce the damage caused to consumers. But it is also unfortunately an underestimate of the total consumer damage. There is a large amount of darkness here and it concerns problems that consumers are not aware of, says Hannah Hall, analyst at the Swedish Consumer Agency.

She explains that this applies, for example, to misleading marketing, and there it is difficult to say how much money is hidden.

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House construction and solar cells stand out

The most common purchases that go wrong are food, telecom services, clothing, restaurant visits, home electronics and train travel.

What stands out in the results for Sweden, compared to other countries that have done similar studies, are problems with building houses and installing solar cells.

– That solar cells are at the top is a trend in 2023. Many wanted to buy solar cells and it became a problem because the suppliers promised too much and they could not always deliver the solar cell installations on time, says Hannah Hall.

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Craftsman services and house building account for the very largest cost – closely followed by the car trade and telecom services.

– House building stands out internationally probably because we in Sweden have a tradition of building houses in a way that is not as common in other countries. You don’t build your own houses to the same extent in other countries, she says.

– And if you hire different companies for different parts of your construction, you yourself as a consumer have the overall responsibility. There will be more contacts, which can make it difficult if there are problems.

“Huge numbers”

Daniel Bernspång is a consumer adviser at the Swedish Consumer Agency and he agrees with Hannah Hall that the figures are remarkable.

– Enormous numbers like this indicate what basic knowledge society has in consumer law. If more people had been aware of it, the numbers would not have been as high.

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He works with giving advice on how to think and act in all kinds of situations that consumers can find themselves in. In general, it is very important to always keep track of what you buy and from whom. Daniel Bernspång recommends some basic things to avoid problems when building a house.

– It is always important that you take in quotes from several companies so that you find a deal that suits you best – and that after that you do a thorough research on the company that you are considering hiring.

– What have other consumers said about them? It’s not just about getting the job done. Contact, communication, execution and invoicing are also super important, says Daniel Bernspång.

What to do if problems arise?

Another very basic thing that you should never neglect, according to him, is writing written agreements. Because if a conflict arises, it is otherwise very difficult to prove what was agreed upon.

When it comes to work on land or real estate, a ten-year claim right applies.

– If there is an error during the ten years that is due to incorrectly performed work, you can demand that it be rectified. And if you are talking about other types of goods and services, for example the repair of a dishwasher, a three-year right of complaint applies.

If a problem does arise, you must first contact the company and set your demands for measures. But if the company does not follow it, you can turn to the Allmänna reclamationsnämnden (ARN).

– There are probably many people who choose not to fight for their right because they find it complicated. But all consumers actually have rights that they should make sure to use. More people should stand up, says Daniel Bernspång.