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the specific terms of the contract must still be fulfilled and depending upon the severity of extent of the breach, this will dictate the appropriate remedy available.

What can be seen above is that Contract Law is everywhere. From the purchase of a newspaper in the morning to the service of gas and other utilities, there exists a contract to govern most relationships outside the domestic scenario. It is understandable therefore that this area of law may be the most diverse in its impact upon everyday life, yet its principles remain comparatively straightforward. There are of course complex issues and certain types of contract (acquisitions and mergers, share holders agreements etc) require specific rules to govern their application, most contracts have a quality that allows them to operate without the knowledge of their existence.

The most influential and commonly used contracts are those relating to the purchase of goods and services. The Sale of Goods Act 1979 and Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 have developed from a background of Caveat Emptor, where consumers were unprotected from sellers able to peddle goods that were less than of merchantable quality. While the image of ※Del Boy§ flogging various items out of a suitcase springs to mind, it was actually the larger and more commonly used suppliers of goods that took the brunt of this legislation. We mentioned terms as to quality and fitness above, and a multitude of cases have gone as far as the House of Lords to ensure the protection granted under a contract is enforced. We have contracts for the sale of goods when we do our weekly shopping, buy a new appliance or finally get that pair of shoes. Similarly contract for the supply of services exist over the cables service for the TV, the mobile phone company or the plumber who comes into fix the leak upstairs. However they are created, the contracts that we are party to are numerous and often we are not specifically aware of our obligations under them, save to pay what we have agreed to.

While we have focused on consumers and individual contracts, that is not to say that there are any fewer contracts that exist between companies, corporations, charities or even governments. Most companies will have several contracts for the services it obtains from other companies i.e. cleaning, catering, accountancy etc. There will be contracts of employment with every member of staff, as well as contracts with each shareholder as to the money they have invested and the dividends received each period. They will in turn have contracts with the customers who retain their services, or even other companies by way of merger or shared services within a larger agreement. This is a non-exhaustive list but a good example of how contract law not only creates the basis for the relationship between individuals, companies etc, but also regulates their rights and obligations and ultimately provides a solution in the event of a dispute. The scope of this area of law clearly has no limit.

Contract Law Cases - Examples

Carlill v. Carbolic Smoke Ball Co (1893) 1 QB 256 (CA)

This case involved the defendant company who produced and advertised smoke balls as a preventative measure against influenza and the common cold. The advertisement stated that they would give ㏒100 to anyone who used the product for three times a day for two weeks but still contracted one of these illne