13 Manufacturer responsibilities The responsibilities of manufacturers include but are not limited to the following. Products and services outcome • Approval process Develop an approval process for products or services, which should be regularly reviewed to ensure it remains fit for purpose. The product approval process requires the manufacturer to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the product / service is distributed to the identified target market (see further below under Distribution Strategy). • Target market Identify a target market of consumers for whose needs, characteristics, and objectives the product or service is compatible. • Vulnerability Consider the needs of consumers with characteristics of vulnerability in the target market and take account of any additional or different needs of those consumers. • Testing Test the product or service and ensure it is designed to meet the needs, characteristics and objectives of the target market, with consideration of any groups of customers for whom the product may not be appropriate, or may cause harm. • Distribution strategy Develop a distribution strategy appropriate for the target market and provide adequate information to distributors to enable them to understand the product or service and the target market. Example: A discretionary manager may decide that its distribution strategy is such that its product or service can only be sold through advisers and not direct to the consumer. This would be made clear in its target market.
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