Shopping – legislation and your rights

The Equality Act legally protects people from discrimination. The legislation aims to help people with a “protected characteristic” carry out their day-to-day lives and use services with minimal interference. A protected charicatistics is a discernable difference, like gender and includes having a disibility.

Shops and other businesses are classed as "service providers", as they provide a service, goods or product, to a user.

If you are registered as blind or partially sighted, then you automatically meet the Equality Act’s definition of a disabled person. If you are not registered, then you might still qualify if your sight loss has a “substantial and long-term effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities”.

All service providers have to make "reasonable adjustments" under the Equality Act of 2010, so that all people can use their services, including those with protected charictaristics. Reasonable adjustments should have already been considered by the service provider before providing any service.

Additional resonable adjustments can often be implemented easily and promptly by simply requesting them; for example asking "excuse me, can you please read the ingredients of this item out to me?" in a supermarket.

Reasonable adjustments should always be free and easily available to the customer. For instance, your bank should provide your statements in a format of your choice with no extra cost, such as braille or large print.

If you encounter poor customer service, and reasonable adjustments are not made upon your request, there are several steps you can undertake. You can challenge discrimination in various different ways, however, there is a recognised order to follow, laid out in the steps below:

Follow the provider’s complaint process

The first step should always be to make a complaint through the service provider's complaints process. Details of how to do this can be gained by asking their customer service representatives or a staff member what the complaints procedure is. Details of a company's complains procedure should be able to be found on their website.

Typically making a complaint would involve writing a formal letter to the service provider's head office, complaints department or, for smaller businesses, their shop. Businesses will usually give you a prompt reply.

Engaging in independent mediation

If there has been no response to your complaint from the service provider, or you feel that their response is not satisfactory, alternative steps can be taken, such as engaging in independent mediation. Mediation is where a neutral third party assists both sides in reaching an agreeable resolution. More information on engaging in independent mediation can be found on the Citizens Advice website.

Take legal action

As a final recourse, legal action can be pursued against the service provider. Again, more information on engaging in independent mediation can be found on the Citizens Advice website.

Note: there are time limits for taking court action. If you have been discriminated against by a service provider, the time limit for bringing a court case is six months less one day from the date of the discrimination. Check the date of the discrimination to ensure deadlines are not missed.

For more information, download the Equality Act Toolkit from one of the links below. This useful reference has been developed with the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.

The toolkit gives detailed information on the most effective way to challenge discrimination. As well as information on drafting an effective complaint letter. Follow the link below for more information or order a complimentary copy through our Helpline.

For people in Northern Ireland, the Disability Discrimination Act applies. Find out more here.