EU sucks ass for consumer protection. I bought an overengineered EU designed electric plug adapter in Paris. It wouldn’t work without applying 10kg of force to insert my charger, which it broke doing so.
Store wouldn’t offer a refund only replacement. Only got a refund after I made the clerk test the replacement which also had the same issue.
Same happened with floss that was the thickness of shoelace. Tried to return but Monoprix wouldn’t take it.
In the US, stores take back anything and if they don’t it’s a credit card chargeback away (which I would have done for the electric plug if they didn’t refund me.)
If you didn't involve the authorities to exercise your rights, it sounds more like anecdotal experiences with those particular stores than the entire EU "sucking ass".
Store wouldn’t offer a refund only replacement. Only got a refund after I made the clerk test the replacement which also had the same issue.
Same happened with floss that was the thickness of shoelace. Tried to return but Monoprix wouldn’t take it.
In the US, stores take back anything and if they don’t it’s a credit card chargeback away (which I would have done for the electric plug if they didn’t refund me.)