This is a relatively common situation in Portuguese commerce: when a consumer buys a defective product and goes to the store to resolve the problem, they are often informed that there is no refund, being offered only the issuance of a voucher or credit note. The phrase "We don't refund the money, but we can issue a voucher" has become almost a commonplace in the relationship between consumers and stores.
The article raises the question of whether this practice is always valid and legal from the perspective of consumer protection law. Portuguese law establishes specific rights for consumers when they acquire defective products, which questions the legitimacy of some commercial policies that restrict refund options.
The text, published by the Jornal da Bairrada, aims to clarify consumers about their rights in this matter, alerting to the fact that the issuance of vouchers or credit notes should not be the only alternative when there is a defect in the acquired product.
The intention of the article seems to be to raise public awareness so that they don't accept without questioning the conditions imposed by commercial establishments, encouraging consumers to know the legislation that protects them.
