New rules for protecting Israeli consumers' rights – details

The Consumer Protection Authority announced an amendment requiring companies to record phone conversations when concluding certain deals. Consumers will have the right to request these recordings, and if a company refuses, the court will automatically side with the client. Full implementation comes in eight months, but the requirement to preserve archives is already in effect. The rules apply to sales of non-food goods over 750 shekels, credit services, and other areas.

The Consumer Protection and Fair Trade Authority announced an amendment that fundamentally changes the rules of phone communication between Israeli companies and consumers. Businesses will be required to record conversations when concluding certain deals, and citizens will gain the legal right to request these files. If a company fails to record a conversation or refuses to provide it, the court will automatically side with the client. Full implementation of the law will occur in eight months, but one key requirement has already taken effect: organizations must preserve all existing phone archives. The new rules will apply to a strictly defined list of deals: phone sales of non-food goods over 750 shekels, brokerage services for obtaining loans, services for finding hidden funds, checking rights to tax refunds, medical data monitoring, gas supply, certain telecommunications services, and credit history correction. The amendment resulted from the merging of initiatives by Knesset members Meirav Cohen, Iman Khatib-Yasin, and Economic Committee chairman David Bitan. This was reported by Channel 12.