Market Charter offers peace of mind to shoppers

Shoppers at Northern Ireland’s most popular weekly market can now have greater peace of mind, thanks to the publication of the St George’s Market Shoppers Charter.

The new Charter was officially launched on Friday by the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tom Ekin, and the President of the National Market Traders Federation, Joe Harrison.

The Charter, which has been developed jointly by Belfast City Council and the National Market Traders Federation, outlines the legal protection afforded to people shopping at St George’s Market, and gives advice on complaints procedures.

Launching the Charter, the Lord Mayor said that it was important that people buying goods from stalls in St George’s Market should know that they enjoy the same protection and rights as if they were buying from any shop in the city.

“The Council and the traders want people to enjoy the experience of market shopping,” said Councillor Ekin.

“As with shopping in any other store, the vast majority of customers will not have any problems with the goods they buy. However, on the rare occasions where problems may arise, it is comforting for people to know that they have legal rights of redress – and that those rights are exactly the same as if they were shopping in the largest department store or the corner shop.”

The Lord Mayor’s comments were echoed by Mr Harrison who said that the Federation was delighted to endorse the Charter as an additional element of these relationships between the traders, their customers and the Council.

The National Market Traders Federation has 35,000 members across the UK.

(MB/GMCG)