Unit 21: Aspects of Contracts and Business Law
D1: evaluate the effectiveness of terms in a given contract.
D2: evaluate the statutory protection given to a consumer in their dealings with a business
and the remedies available.
Introduction
This assignment focuses on how the laws created help to protect Vodafone as well as their
customers who join in agreement with the company. It will further discuss the contracts that
Vodafone has in place for the different customers who purchase from them. Lastly, the
impact of the laws on the Vodafone contracts will be explained.
About Vodafone
Vodafone Group plc, is a British multinational telecommunications union with headquarters
in London, Newbury and Berkshire. Their business environment consists of a variety of
factors which include political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal
influencers. These factors have an effect on the business because of the changes within
society such as government policies and the legislation, the financial states of the economy,
technological innovation, environmental sustainability and the differences in traditions. With
the complexity of businesses increasing, strategies have been put in [lace to ensure that
Vodafone is not negatively impacted by these factors.
Vodafone trades a variety of technological products and services to the public. These
include phones, iPads and tablets, laptops, smart watches, etc. Services include pay as you
go, pay monthly, sim only, unlimited data plans (with entertainment), and broadband plans.
Vodafone’s target audience consists of people living in small towns or villages, lower or
middle income groups in society, millennials, younger people and business peoples.
When purchasing from Vodafone, one will fall into either of the following two categories of
customers which are; the customer who buys the whole package which includes the product
and service and the customer who only buys the product. A person may only buy the product
because they are not fond of the service but likes the pricing of the products. With these
different categories, different contracts are made available by Vodafone and different laws
are put in place to protect the different customers. Contractual terms and conditions applied
within the contracts will differ because of the additions to the package. Therefore, having
only the Sales of Goods Act 1979 would not have been beneficial to other customers who
purchase a service as well. Creating another law which focuses on both which is known as
the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 was important.
The conditions within the contract are put in place to not only protect the customer but to
further protect Vodafone. Some conditions within these contract include the Charges and
Services. Charges focuses on the pricing of the products as well as the services when
buying a product from Vodafone. This term further covers how one will be charged when
using their mobile device. Services covers how the customer will be able to use the service
plan that they have chosen with Vodafone. These two conditions protect Vodafone and the
customer because it outlines for the customer clearly how these terms and conditions may
affect them as well and by signing it, they have agreed to the fact they understand them. It
also limits the customer in different ways because Vodafone has stated in the contract how
they will take responsibility and what they will and will not take responsibility for. The terms
