Wolfman said:

Would high street stores issue a refund on an opened item ?

I think opening a blu ray box set and then trying to return it would be highly suspicious here in the U.K. Usually, once you break the shrinkwrap that's your lot! I don't think our main high street store HMV give a refunds now anyway only exchanges and that even trying to exchange an opened item would be a no, no.

HMV have never refused me a refund and since it is demonstrably impossible to have known from the packaging alone that the film you were buying was not as described (A deliberate deception by Lucas). You'd have to play it to find out it wasn't Star Wars, I feel the law would be on our side.

Not sure about consumer law elsewhere in the world, but in the UK, a retailer doesn't just have to ensure that products are labeled acurately but they also have to ensure they do not imply something that is not the case. Having the only date mentioned on the label be "copyright1977" and not "copyright1997/2011" is "implied" false advertising.

It's a while since I last familiarised myself with the 'Trades Description Act 1968' but it can be easily looked up, easily printed and easily produced in store if they argue the refund. Despite what they might try and tell you, individual store policy does not overide consumer law.

I'm confident that everybody would get the money back but it might take some arguing in a minority of cases. Frankly having an argument with a store manager in front of the customers about the precise faults of the Special Edition would be kinda awesome ;-)