Consumer inquiries about air conditioners and summer clothing surge amid early heatwave

According to the Korea Consumer Agency, last month the 1372 Consumer Counseling Center saw a sharp increase in inquiries related to seasonal products such as air conditioners and summer clothing compared with the previous month. The increase was analyzed as being due to a rise in related damage inquiries as the early heat wave continued, with daytime temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius. The item with the largest increase in inquiries was air conditioners, followed by a sharp rise in Tshirts as well. For air conditioners, there were disputes over refrigerant leaks after installation or whether repairs were covered free of charge during the repair process, while summer clothing mostly involved reports of delivery delays and failure to fulfill contracts. By age group, those aged 10 and under had many inquiries related to clothing rental, people in their 20s and 30s had many inquiries about gyms, those in their 40s and 50s about clothing and textiles, and those 60 and older about health supplements. The total number of counseling cases stood at 48,621 as of May, down from both the previous month and the same month last year.