Consumer laws, policies and practices exist to help build consumers’ trust and confidence by protecting
them from unfair or deceptive acts or practices and helping to establish a more balanced relationship
between sellers and consumers in commercial transactions. Domestic retail markets offer consumers
assurances that their interactions and purchases are covered by national legal and private sector consumer
protections. The increase in cross-border transactions and the limited or non-existent face-to-face contact
between businesses and consumers brought on by the growth of electronic commerce reinforce the need for
a predictable and trustworthy global marketplace.
