Chapter 5: Consumer Rights

Ans: Rules and regulations are required in the marketplace to safeguard the consumers from exploitation by sellers and unfair trade practices. Sellers sometimes abdicate responsibility for a poor-quality product. They charge more than the retail price, cheat in weighing items, and sell adulterated or defective goods. As a result, rules and regulations are needed to protect scattered buyers from powerful and fewer producers who monopolise markets. For example, a grocery shop owner might sell expired products and then blame the consumers for not verifying the expiry dates before purchasing the items.

Ans: There are numerous factors that gave birth to the consumer movement in India. These are as follows: -

(i) It began as a "social force" to safeguard and promote consumer interests against unfair and unethical trading practices.

(ii) In the 1960s, extreme food shortages, hoarding, adulteration of food and black marketing led to the consumer movement to organise. 

(iii) Till the 1970s, consumer organisations were mostly busy publishing articles and conducting exhibitions. 

(iv) Recently, there has been an increase in the number of consumer groups who are concerned about ration shops abuses and overcrowding of public transportation vehicles. 

(v) The Consumer Protection Act, commonly known as COPRA, was implemented by the Indian government in 1986. This was a major step towards the consumer movement in India, which provides easy and fast compensation to consumer grievances.

Ans: Many consumers pay whatever the seller requests without bothering to verify the MRP. While it is a good attitude to have faith in your local shopkeeper, but one should always check the MRP. Some people never look at the expiry date on a medicine's package. This can be hazardous to the patient who is going to consume the medicine, even life-threatening. These instances show that consumer awareness is extremely important. Being aware of your rights as a consumer when purchasing goods or services is known as consumer consciousness.

Examples: 

(i) Consumers often bargain with sellers for additional discounts below the MRP (Minimum Retail Price).

(ii) Most sweet retailers do not weigh sweets with the weight of the container because of conscious consumers.

Ans: Factors that cause exploitation of consumers are:

(i) Buyers are unaware of their rights as consumers.

(ii) Inadequate and ineffective monitoring of rules and regulations.

(iii) The quantity purchased per individual is comparatively insignificant.

(iv) Customers are dispersed throughout large areas.

Ans: The rationale behind the enactment of COPRA (Consumer Protection Act) in 1986 was to create a separate department of consumer affairs in both the federal and state governments, and it has given us the ability to represent ourselves in a consumer court.

Ans: When I visit a shopping complex, some of my duties/responsibilities as a consumer includes: -

(i) Checking the expiration dates of the products I want to buy.

(ii) Paying only the maximum retail price (MRP) printed on the goods.

(iii) Attempting to prevent shopkeepers from bribing me with defective products.

(iv) Filing a complaint with a consumer forum or court if a seller refuses to take responsibility for an adulterated or flawed product.

Ans: Before buying food items, we should look for the logo of the Agmark symbol, which is government-certified and guarantees the quality of the product.

Ans: In India, the government has taken numerous legal steps to empower consumers. These are as follows: -

(i) The first and foremost is the COPRA (Consumer Protection Act) in 1986. This was a major step towards the consumer movement in India, which provides easy and fast compensation to consumer grievances.

(ii) The Right to Information Act was passed in October 2005, giving citizens access to all the information about the functioning of government departments.

(iii) A consumer can also appeal in state and federal courts under COPRA, even if his case has been dismissed at the district level. As a result, consumers now have the right to represent themselves in consumer courts.

Ans: Consumer rights are as follows: -

(i) Right to Choose: - Any consumer who receives a service in any capacity, regardless of age, gender, or service type, has the right to choose whether or not to continue receiving that service. A consumer has the right to choose any of the different brands of a product (such as a refrigerator) sold in the market.

(ii) Right to Seek Redressal: - Consumers have the right to seek redressal when they are subjected to monopolistic practices (unfair trade) or exploitation.  It also includes the consumer's right to genuine grievances. 

(iii) Right to Be Heard: - This means that the interests of consumers will receive due consideration in suitable forums. It also involves the right to be represented in a variety of forums set up to look after the interests of consumers.

(iv) Right to Represent: - As a result of this act, consumers have the ability to represent themselves in consumer courts.

(v) Right to Safety: - This refers to the right to be protected from the marketing of goods and services that are dangerous to one's health and property. Consumers should acquire quality marked products such as ISI, AGMARK, and others before making a purchase.

Ans: Consumers can express their solidarity for one another by joining consumer groups that write articles or organize exhibitions to protest against exploitation by traders. These organisations provide advice to individuals on how to approach a consumer court, and they even defend cases for consumers in court. The government provides financial assistance to such organisations to raise public awareness. Consumer solidarity will be strengthened even more if everyone participates.