Preparing for the unexpected: Consumer compensation measures for catastrophic events
Author
Alexandre PlourdeOrganization
Option consommateursPublished
2023Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to many unprecedented events and had a profound impact on the Canadian economy. The introduction of health measures aimed at curbing the spread of the disease completely disrupted the provision of services in many areas. In turn, this resulted in numerous consumer issues such as shortages, delivery delays, price increases and other business practices such as “covid fees”, and the necessary transition to e-commerce.This report focuses on the compensation measures that were available to consumers during the pandemic, specifically those offered to consumers when merchants were unable to provide services as a result of the health measures that were put in place. By examining both consumer and merchant perspectives on the tactics used in key industries, this report highlights the shortcomings of these measures and proposes a number of recommendations that may inform best practices for any future catastrophic events.
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OCA Funded Research
This research received funding support through the Office of Consumer Affairs' Contributions Program.
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Source: Consumer Policy Research Database