Consumer Contracts Law as a Special Branch of Contract Law - The Israeli Model

תקציר

Consumer Protection Contract Law is different from general contract Law in basic issues. Accordingly, there is place to relate to "laws of contracts" instead of one "contract law". Consumer contracts should be classified as an independent branch of contract law. Consume contract law has special characteristics. They are intended to protect consumers. These rules are mandatory. These rules are detailed and precise, and include criminal sections and administrative regulations. These characteristics are the opposite of general contract law. Israeli consumer law has undergone substantial changes from the years 1999-2012, and has thus broadened the difference between general contract law and consumer law. The changes are in all aspects of contract law: 1. The dealer's duty to sell to consumers. 2. Consumers' right to unilateral cancellation of contracts (cooling-off period). 3. Writing duties on dealers. 4. Special rules of Deceit. 5. Different rules of interpretation. These changes in major rules of contract law identify consumer contracts as a special branch of contract law, thus leading to more liberal rules of interpretation in areas such as more consumer class actions, misleading advertising and others.