ISO/IEC Guide 14:2018
(Main)Products and related services — Information for consumers
Products and related services — Information for consumers
ISO/IEC Guide 14:2018 provides guidance on the provision of information concerning products and their related services intended for consumers. It outlines general principles and recommendations for content, methods, formats and designs enabling consumers to compare and choose consumer products and their related services prior to purchase.
Produits et services connexes — Informations pour les consommateurs
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
GUIDE 14
Third edition
2018-03
Products and related services —
Information for consumers
Produits et services connexes — Informations pour les
consommateurs
Reference number
©
ISO/IEC 2018
© ISO/IEC 2018
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
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Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO/IEC 2018 – All rights reserved
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Purchase information . 4
4.1 Objective of purchase information. 4
4.2 General principles . 4
4.3 Minimum content and presentation . 6
4.4 Performance and conditions of use . 7
4.5 Dependability considerations . 7
4.6 Second-hand goods . 7
5 Methods of conveying information . 8
5.1 Written and printed information . 8
5.2 Online information . 8
5.2.1 General. 8
5.2.2 Short description and guidance on linear bar codes, quick response codes
and other machine-readable information . 9
5.3 Verbal information .10
6 Formats and design principles.10
6.1 General .10
6.2 Principles .10
6.3 Use of diagrams, symbols and pictograms, scales and tables .11
6.4 Legibility and uniformity .11
6.5 Permanency .12
Bibliography .13
© ISO/IEC 2018 – All rights reserved iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) are worldwide federations of national standards bodies (ISO member bodies and IEC
National Committees). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO and IEC technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO or IEC, also take part in the
work. ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters
of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www .iso .org/ directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject
of patent rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent
rights. Details of any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the
Introduction and/or on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www .iso .org/ patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see the following
URL: www .iso .org/ iso/ foreword .html.
This document was prepared by the ISO Committee on Consumer Policy (COPOLCO).
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (ISO/IEC Guide 14:2003), which has been
technically revised.
The main changes compared with the previous edition are as follows:
— mention of new purchase information labelling tools (e.g. QR codes or RFID tags), available on the
packaging of the product;
— clarification of the relationship with ISO/IEC Guide 37, ISO/IEC Guide 41 and IEC 82079-1;
— consideration of the product information needs of vulnerable persons;
— content added on recycling and second-hand goods;
— improved treatment of risk, sustainability and privacy issues;
— addition of new clauses on performance and conditions of use and dependability considerations;
— deletion of obsolete content on purchase information bodies and purchase information systems.
iv © ISO/IEC 2018 – All rights reserved
Introduction
Product information for consumers is a vital part of any consumer product or service. Improving the
quality of information increases the ability of consumers to make an informed purchasing choice. It
helps to minimize the risk of incorrect or inappropriate purchases or contracts. Consumer uncertainties
are reduced and consumer satisfaction is increased. Those who supply a high standard of product
information, taking into consideration the needs of vulnerable consumers, enhance their commercial
reputation and save time and money, by reducing enquiries, complaints and returns.
This document addresses the following:
— committees preparing standards for consumer products and related services;
— consumer product designers, manufacturers, technical writers, marketers, graphic artists or others
engaged in the work of drafting such information;
— other bodies such as enforcement agencies or consumer ombudsmen.
The primary purpose of this document is to provide guidance to those responsible for drafting national
or international standards on what information prospective purchasers require and expect for
products and their related services. However, it can also assist those who write purchase information
(e.g. suppliers), as well as enforcement authorities.
Aspects of product information can vary in various jurisdictions and/or industry standards or
technical specifications. Suppliers can establish, implement and maintain a procedure to identify the
applicable laws and regulations of the countries where the consumer products and related services are
manufactured, imported, distributed and sold, in order to ensure that applicable legal requirements are
taken into account.
A number of methods can be used (individually or in combination) to provide information to consumers
about products and related services, in order to accommodate varying levels of ability:
— written or printed;
— online;
— verbal.
Online information is increasingly used by consumers for pre-purchase research and decision-making.
There is considerable scope for further standardization in the field of product information in terms of
individual consumer products and related services, and even more so for groups of consumer products
and related services.
© ISO/IEC 2018 – All rights reserved v
GUIDE ISO/IEC GUIDE 14:2018(E)
Products and related services — Information for
consumers
1 Scope
This document provides guidance on the provision of information concerning products and their
related services intended for consumers. It outlines general principles and recommendations for
content, methods, formats and designs enabling consumers to compare and choose consumer products
and their related services prior to purchase.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at http:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
complaint
expression of dissatisfaction made to an organization, related to its product
or service, or the complaints-handling process itself, where a response or resolution is explicitly or
implicitly expected
Note 1 to entry: ISO 10002 provides information on complaints handling in organizations.
[SOURCE: ISO 9000:2015, 3.9.3, modified — Note 1 to entry has been added.]
3.2
consumer
individual member of the general public purchasing or using property, products or services for private
purposes
Note 1 to entry: The term “consumer” covers both customers and potential customers. Consumer products (3.3)
and services can be one-time purchases or long-term contracts or obligations.
[SOURCE: ISO 26000:2010, 2.2, modified — Note 1 to entry has been added.]
3.3
consumer product
product designed and produced primarily for, but not limited to, personal use, including its components,
parts, accessories, instructions and packaging
[SOURCE: ISO 10377:2013, 2.2]
© ISO/IEC 2018 – All rights reserved 1
3.4
consumer redress
compensation for economic harm (3.7), whether in the form of a monetary payment (restitution,
damages, or other form of relief) or a conduct remedy with a restorative element (exchange of a good
or service, specific performance or rescission of a contract)[SOURCE: OECD Recommendation on
[35]
Consumer Dispute Resolution and Redress , modified.]
3.5
cooling-off period
period of time following a purchase during which a consumer (3.2) can change his or her mind and
return the purchase
3.6
guarantee
warranty
written assurance issued to the purchaser of a product or related service by its supplier (3.19), promising
to repair, refund or replace the product or related service within a specified period of time, if it is not of
a specified quality
3.7
harm
injury or damage to the health of people or damage to property or the environment
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC Guide 51:2014, 3.1]
3.8
hazard
potential source of harm (3.7)
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC Guide 51:2014, 3.2]
3.9
instructions for use
information provided by the supplier (3.19) of a product to the user, containing all the necessary
provisions to convey the actions to be performed for the safe and efficient use of the product
3.10
label
item, attached to a consumer product (3.3) (if practicable) or its packaging which displays information
related to one or more characteristic(s) of the consumer product
3.1
...
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