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Tag: non-pecuniary loss

The Willy’s Chocolate Experience debacle: A classic case for solatium in damages for breach of contract?

by Thorsten Lauterbach, Teaching Excellence Fellow, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen

It will have been difficult not to see the tale of woe behind the Willy’s Chocolate Experience, a story that dominated headlines[1] in Scotland and beyond,[2] as it went viral on social media: children and their parents had been looking forward to around an hour of exhilarating entertainment, at up to £35 per ticket, only to receive the exact opposite. It is a box of wondrous legal issues aplenty: advertising, employment law, intellectual property law, consumer law, contract law – and there may well be some more. This blog entry looks at this story from a consumer redress angle, particularly focusing on solatium for breach of contract in common law, and how the thinking on this concept was driven by one – or two – prominent Scots.

What happened?

Advertising via the Willy’s Chocolate Experience website had promised “a place where chocolate dreams become reality. Book your adventure now and embark on a journey filled with wondrous creations and enchanting surprises at every turn!”,[3] “an enchanted garden, with giant sweets, vibrant blooms, mysterious looking sculptures, and magical surprises that add an extra layer of wonder to your Chocolatey Experience!”,[4] Imagination Lab, Twilight Tunnel – an “event [which] guarantees an immersive and delightful entertainment experience suitable for aged 3+ years old”.[5] However, the reality turned out to be different.

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