Ways to enhance awareness among people about consumer rights
Answers
Introduction:-
Consumer awareness is about making the consumer aware of his/her rights.It is a marketing term which means that consumers are aware of products or services.The consumers have to be aware not only of the commercial aspects of sale and purchase of goods, but also of the health and security aspects. Food safety has become an important element of consumer awareness these days. In case of food products, its quality depends not only on its nutritional value, but also on its safety for human consumption. Consumption of contaminated or adulterated food is a major cause of human illness and suffering.
Consumers:-
Consumers refers to individuals or households that use goods and services generated within the economy Or simply we can say that a consumer is a person who uses any product or service.
Rights of comsumer:-
1.Right to Safety
Means right to be protected against the marketing of goods and services, which are hazardous to life and property.
Before purchasing, consumers should preferably purchase quality marked products such as ISI,AGMARK, etc.
2.Right to Informed
Means right to be informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods so as to protect the consumer against unfair trade practices.
Consumer should insist on getting all the information about the product or service before making a choice or a decision.
3.Right to Choose
Means right to be assured, wherever possible of access to variety of goods and services at competitive price.
4.Right to heard
Means right to be represented in various forums formed to consider the consumer's welfare.
5.Right to Seek redressal
Means right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices.
6.Right to Consumer Education
Means the right to acquire the knowledge and skill to be an informed consumer throughout life.People should know their rights and must exercise them. Only then real consumer protection can be achieved with success.
Problems faced by the consumers:-
There are many goods which are sold in the market without much information about their quality, quantity and purity. In case of goods meant for mass consumption like, food, milk products, edible oil etc. the ingredients are not known. Manufacturers or producers seldom follow the safety regulations in the products like, lamps, batteries, footwear, electrical equipments, wires, cement, LPG cylinders, stoves, switches, plugs, sockets etc. leading to many fatal accidents. Adulteration of food is another major problem. Milk can contain detergent, refined oil, caustic soda or urea. Mustard oil can be adulterated with argemone oil and arhar dal with yellow colour. Vegetables and fruits are artificially coloured. Indiscriminate use of pesticides by farmers and untreated effluents by industries, have led to the problem of food contamination by pesticide residues and toxic heavy metals.
Consumer Courts:-
Consumer Court is the name given to special purpose courts that deal with cases regarding consumer disputes. One can go to consumer court and can register his complaint regarding his product. To help an ordinary citizen, consumer courts have been set up at District, State and National level. Here, an Indian citizen can file a case in a very simple format. There is no need to hire a lawyer as you can fight your own case. No court-fee is required. Thus you can proceed with your case at minimum expenses.