If our country is to become a developed India by the end of 2047, it must first accelerate its economic development. For this, the goods needed by the people must be produced quickly and sold at the same speed. That only happens if the customer is satisfied with the quality of goods and services. Otherwise, economic growth will slow down. Here product means goods and services. Some sellers are just selling to consumers and shaking hands. Apart from that, manufacturers should give some assurances to consumers. These are in the form of a guarantee or warranty. But consumers sometimes lose out due to lack of awareness.
*Who is a consumer?
In short, a consumer is defined as a person who consumes the goods and services produced by organizations in the financial, business, and advertising sectors of the market. Consumers play a vital role in the economy. If consumers do not consume the goods and services produced, producers have no incentive to produce them.
*World Consumer Rights Day:
March 15th is observed every year as World Consumer Rights Day. This is an annual international event that celebrates and symbolizes solidarity within the global consumer movement. It demands that consumer rights be respected and protected. The event also provides an opportunity to protest against market abuses and social injustices that undermine those rights.
*This year’s theme:
This year’s theme is “A just Transition to Sustainable Lifestyles”. This theme reflects the urgent need to make sustainable, healthy lifestyle choices accessible and affordable to all consumers while protecting the fundamental rights and needs of these transitions. The past decade has been the hottest on record. Extreme weather has become a daily occurrence in many countries. It has disrupted lives and livelihoods. At the same time, biodiversity loss and pollution pose a growing threat to the Earth and human health.
The impact of these crises is not only environmental but also economic and social, hindering progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. Fundamental changes will need to be made in the way we eat, the way we travel, the way we heat and cool our homes, the way we provide electricity, and the products and services we buy and use. However, it is essential to make sustainable, healthy options more accessible and affordable for consumers. This transformation presents an opportunity for progress that provides people with a sustainable lifestyle without compromising their basic rights and needs.
*Consumer rights:
Right to Safety:
This is the right to be protected from the marketing of goods and services that are dangerous to life and property. The goods and services purchased should not only meet their immediate needs, but also serve their long-term interests. Before making a purchase, consumers should emphasize the quality of the products as well as the guarantee of the products and services.
*Right to choose:
The right to be assured of a variety of goods and services at competitive prices, where available. In the case of a monopoly, this means the right to receive satisfactory quality and service at a fair price.
*Right to Information:
The right to know about the quality, quantity, strength, purity, standard, price of goods to protect the consumer from unfair trade practices. The consumer should insist on getting all the information about the product or service before making a choice or decision. This will enable him to act wisely and responsibly and avoid being exposed to high-pressure sales techniques.
*Right to Education:
This means the right to acquire knowledge and skills to be a lifelong information consumer. Ignorance of consumers, especially the ignorance of rural consumers, is the main reason for their exploitation. They should be aware of their rights. They should be utilized. Only then will true consumer protection be successfully achieved.
*Right to be heard:
This means that the interests of consumers are taken into consideration in appropriate forums. It also includes the right to be represented in various forums set up to consider the welfare of consumers. Consumers should form non-political and non-commercial consumer organizations. These can be represented in various committees set up by the government and other bodies on consumer matters.
*Right to Redress:
This means the right to seek redress against unfair commercial practices or unfair exploitation of consumers. It includes the right to a fair redress of genuine consumer complaints. Consumers should complain about their genuine grievances. Many times their grievances may be of little value but their impact on the society as a whole can be huge. They can also take the help of consumer organisations for redressal of their grievances. As markets are globalising, direct contact between the manufacturer and the end consumer is being removed and post-purchase complaints need to be heard through a robust redressal system. For this, consumer dispute resolution bodies (known as consumer forums or consumer courts) have been set up under the Act at the district, state and national levels to redress consumer grievances in a simple, inexpensive and speedy manner.
*Consumer Responsibilities:
Before making a purchase, consumers should consider the safety and quality of products and services. They should be very careful about what they want and need. They should tell merchants exactly what they want. It is the consumer’s responsibility to honestly and fairly express and file their dissatisfaction with the goods or services.
*Consumer Protection Laws:
The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 was enacted to replace the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, especially to further strengthen the provisions for consumer protection in the new era of globalization, online platforms, e-commerce markets, etc. The Consumer Protection Act 2019 clearly includes e-commerce transactions within its purview. E-commerce is defined as the buying or selling of goods or services, including digital products, over a digital or electronic network.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority was established from 24.07.2020 to control matters related to false or misleading advertisements that are harmful to the interests of the public and consumers. Due diligence is required for the approval of advertisements, so that such approval in an advertisement should reflect the true, reasonable current opinion of the person, group or organization so represented. It should be based on adequate information or experience about it. The goods, product or service identified should not be deceptive.
