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Essay on Consumer Rights | Consumer Rights Essay for Students and Children in English

February 14, 2024 by Prasanna

Essay on Consumer Rights: A consumer is defined as someone who buys goods and services for directly using them rather than reselling them or using them or some other indirect use. Consumer protection or consumer right is the right to have clarity of information regarding a product’s quality, quantity, potency, price and purity. These rights are curated to protect consumers from unfair trade.

Consumer rights are predetermined declarations which are established by law. Consumer organisations are also made which help these consumers to exercise their right if and when treated unfairly. Consumer rights are a very special set of rules which prevent huge frauds committed by huge business corporations.

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Long and Short Essays on Consumer Rights for Students and Kids in English

We are providing students with essay samples on a long essay of 500 words and a short essay of 150 words on the topic Consumer Rights.

Long Essay on Consumer Rights 500 Words in English

Long Essay on Consumer Rights is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Consumer protection is the rights given to a consumer for having clarity of information regarding the product that they buy. They have the right to have full information about the quality, quantity, price, standard and purity of the product. It is to be mentioned, however, that consumer rights are solely for the consumers who buy a product for their direct use and not for reselling it.

Consumer protection is considered to be falling udert e arena of “private law.” It is a way of preventing consumers as well as the state rom financial scams, financial frauds and bankrupt businesses. Countries like Australia, Brazil, United States of America and the United Kingdom, have consumer protection laws in the nation-state level. They also have specific state organisations to help their consumers.

Constitutional Laws: As many as 47 constitutions in the present day include some consumer rights to be enforced in their constitution.

Consumer Protection In India:

In India, the most important consumer rights fall under The Consumer Protection Act of 1986. According to this law, not only the individual consumers but a company, a group of consumers, an undivided Hindu family, all have the power to exercise their rights. The consumer rights mentioned in the law are-

• The right to be protected from harmful and hazardous goods and services.
• The right to be informed in details about the quality as well as the performance of a good.
• The right to freedom of choice of goods and services.
• The right to be heard in all the decision-making processes which are related to the interests of the consumers.
• The right to seek redressal on the infringement of consumer rights.
• The right to the completion of consumer education.

Keeping the condition of the consumers in mind, The Government of India and its Ministry of Consumer Affairs, opened a nodal organisation called the Department of Consumer Affairs to protect the consumers from frauds and unfair treatment. If there is an infringement of these rights, then a proper claim for redressal can be made in a consumer court.

The circumstances under which a complaint can be made in a consumer court:

• If the goods or services purchased by the person has one or more defects.
• If a trader or a service provider resort to unfair means of business.
• If a trader or a service provider charges a price above what has been agreed upon under law.
• Goods or services that cause a certain safety hazard to the users or the consumers.

Right to Consumer Education:

It is the right of every citizen to have an education regarding consumer protection. The education makes sure that the consumer has all the knowledge and information required regarding their rights and claims. Consumer forum is a quasi-judicial mechanism at the district, state and national level. It is a three-tier mechanism consisting of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum and the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum. It is till now one of the most successful judicial tribunal introduced by the Government.

Short Essay on Consumer Rights 150 Words in English

Short Essay on Consumer Rights is usually given to classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Consumer Protection or Consumer Rights refer to the rights that a consumer is granted to have clarity of information about a product that one has bought. It is the right of the consumer to know about the quality, quantity, price, standard and purity of a product. Consumer Rights are an essential aspect of the judicial system as it can prevent elaborate financial frauds, financial scams and bankruptcy.

As many as 47 countries have included consumer protection and consumer rights as constitutional law. In India, consumer rights come under the Consumer Protection Act of 1986. There is also a three-tier quasi-judicial mechanism in India in all the district, state and national level. This tribunal is called the Consumer Forum. Among the different rights that a consumer enjoys, there are right to know full information about the product bought, right to be protected from hazardous products, right to consumer education, right to freedom of choice of goods and services and right to redressal upon the infringement of these rights.

10 Lines on Consumer Rights in English

• Nearly 47 countries have it as a constitutional right.
• The Consumer Protection Act came into being in 1986.
• The ministry of the Government is called The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
• The Department of Consumer Affairs has been made for addressing complaints.
• On the infringement of any consumer rights, the consumer can complain in a consumer court.
• Consumer course is of three-tier in India.
• It is a quasi-judicial body.
• It exists in the district-state and national level.
• The district-state-national forums entertain complaints of 20 lacs, one crore and more than one crore respectively.
• Consumer rights are one of the most efficient aspects of today’s judicial system.

FAQ’s on Consumer Rights Essay

Question 1.  Why is consumer rights important?

Answer:  Consumer Rights are important because they prevent the consumer and individual from unfair trade, financial frauds and scams.

Question 2.  What are the forums called?

Answer:  The Consumer Forums are called the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, State Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum and the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum.

Question 3. What is the Consumer Helpline Number in India?

Answer: Consumer Helpline Number is 1800114000 or 14404.

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• Warranties and Service Contracts

Key Consumer Protection Laws

Be aware of scams, the bottom line.

• Fiscal Policy
• Government Spending & Debt

What Are Consumer Protection Laws?

Daniel Liberto is a journalist with over 10 years of experience working with publications such as the Financial Times, The Independent, and Investors Chronicle.

Consumer protection laws are made to protect consumers from fraudulent business practices, defective products, and dangerous goods and services. They play an important role in a reliable market economy, helping to keep sellers honest, with no threat of unpleasant surprises.

Consumer protection laws in the U.S. comprise various federal and state laws, each of which governs a particular area of the economy. The government oversees consumer protection through the  Federal Trade Commission (FTC), while states use a variety of agencies and statutes to enforce consumer protection and sometimes expand on these laws. Not all jurisdictions protect consumers in the same way, with some being more pro-consumer than others.

Key Takeaways

• Consumer protection laws exist to prevent dangerous or unethical business practices, such as false advertising or faulty products.
• They play an important role in a reliable market economy, helping to keep sellers honest, with no threat of unpleasant surprises.
• For most consumer goods, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulates warranties and service contracts.
• States use agencies and statutes to enforce consumer protection and may expand on federal laws, with some being more pro-consumer than others.
• In finance, consumer protection laws seek to prevent predatory lending, housing discrimination, securities fraud, privacy violations, and other unethical practices.

Consumer Warranties and Service Contracts

Whenever you buy merchandise, it comes with a warranty. This is a guarantee that it will serve the purpose it was purchased for—in other words: It will function.

Express and Implied Warranties 

The two basic types of warranty are express and implied. An express warranty is a promise from the seller, either written, oral, or expressed in an ad, promising that the item will perform its function for a specified period. Whether the item purchased is new or used, an express warranty is a guarantee that the item will work. However, not all items come with an express warranty.

The law automatically provides the second type of warranty, the implied warranty . Implied warranties are a part of all retail sales of new and used consumer goods. The retailer of an item implies that the item will work properly and be of average grade and quality, as long as it is used for the purpose it was sold. For example, a refrigerator will keep things cool as long as you are not trying to cool the entire room, and a blender will blend as long as you are not blending rocks.

Whenever you buy something, it's important to get warranty specifics in writing. Find out what the warranty covers. Does it include service fees if the item needs to be repaired? How long is the warranty? According to the FTC, an implied warranty can last as long as four years, but the actual time period can vary according to the state.

Dealing With Warranty Breach

If a warranty is breached, get the item replaced or repaired by the seller. If that doesn't work, try resolving the dispute through mediation. If that fails, you have the right to sue the manufacturer or seller.

Service contracts cannot be canceled after you've signed them, but according to the FTC, there is a cooling-off period in which, under certain circumstances, you might be able to void a contract. Contact the agency at FTC.gov for information on the right way to approach your particular situation.

To file a complaint about a seller or manufacturer, you can contact the FTC, Consumer Product Safety Commission , or call up your local prosecutor and ask for the consumer fraud division. If you were defrauded by a telephone solicitor or fell into a TV advertiser's trap, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is the place to turn for help.

How to Get a Free Credit Report

Under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) , you are entitled to a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. Financial institutions use the information contained in this report to determine the risk in lending to you. Consumers usually find out about this report only after there has been negative information reported (mishandled accounts, erroneous data, and so on). You can get your free credit report at annualcreditreport.com .

Federal Securities Act

One of the most important consumer protections in finance is the Securities Act of 1933, which was enacted during the Great Depression. The act strictly limits the sale of investment contracts (referred to as "securities") and requires issuers to disclose the details of their financing and business plans. The act also established the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which enforces securities laws and punishes violations.

Fair Credit Reporting Act

The Fair Credit Reporting Act was passed in 1970 to regulate the collection of credit information, which is frequently used to determine mortgage and lending rates. The law limits who can access a consumer's credit history, and prohibits lenders from providing outdated or inaccurate information. The law also allows consumers to read their own credit reports, and to contest any inaccurate information.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is responsible for protecting consumers when it comes to financial products and services.

Dodd-Frank Act

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act , usually shortened to the "Dodd-Frank Act," was a sweeping reform of U.S. financial regulations in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

The act stepped up oversight of banks and financial institutions, particularly those deemed to have been responsible for the Great Recession. It created the Financial Stability Oversight Council , with the ability to break up banks that were "too big to fail" or to increase their reserve requirements. It also established the CFPB, which regulates subprime mortgages and other predatory lending practices.

The Fair Housing Act

The Fair Housing Act protects buyers and renters of housing from being discriminated against by sellers, landlords, or financial institutions.

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA)

This law limits the actions of third-party debt collectors when attempting to collect debts on behalf of another person or entity. It outlines when and how often a third-party debt collector can contact a debtor, with noncompliance by debt collectors resulting in lawsuits.

Section 5 of the Federal Trade Act

Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, sometimes just referred to as “Section 5,” demands that consumers be treated fairly and not deceived or put at risk by businesses. That includes:

• Causing substantial injury to a consumer
• A statement, omission, or practice likely to mislead consumers

Telephone Consumer’s Protection Act (TCPA)

This act ensures that consumers are not deceived and harassed by telemarketers. Thanks to the TCPA, a national do-not-call list was created.

The CAN-SPAM Act

The Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing Act of 2003 is a law that governs email communication. It establishes requirements for commercial messages, including not using false or misleading headers and subject lines, identifying messages as ads, and providing a postal address and information on how to opt out of being contacted in the future. Recipients have the right to stop being contacted, and penalties will be dished out to those who violate the act’s rules.

The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GBLA)

The GBLA, among other things, requires all U.S. financial institutions to reveal in writing how they handle, share, and protect consumers’ information.

The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act

This act governs what information websites directed to children under 13 years of age can collect from their visitors.

There are many other acts worth learning about that apply in certain situations, including the Home Owner Protection Act , the Electronic Funds Transfer Act , and the Fair Credit Billing Act .

Scam artists generally take advantage of whatever is happening at a particular point in time. In the wake of the housing bust of 2008, for example, there were a lot of phony foreclosure rescues that caused people to lose the equity in their houses to so-called rescuers.

There also has been an increase in scam attempts through automated phone calls. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the FTC began receiving reports of scammers posing as government officials, using the promise of unemployment benefits to extract Social Security numbers, private bank accounts, or other sensitive information.

Consumer protection laws exist to protect consumers and make us feel more confident about buying things; however, having this protection doesn't mean we shouldn't care about getting scammed. It's better for everyone if a complaint is not necessary.

Tips include using credit cards rather than debit cards for online shopping and closely reviewing every item on your monthly bills. Customers should also use a separate email account for their online shopping. This method helps avoid spam. Also, never respond to emails asking you to "confirm" recent transactions after you shop because they can be phishing scams.

What Are Online Consumer Protection Laws?

There are many such laws in the U.S. to shield consumers from fraud, faulty products, or data privacy invasion. One example is the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act, or ROSCA, which prohibits the sale of user data by third-party payment processors. It also regulates "negative option" contracts, in which a consumer's inaction is interpreted as an intention to pay for a service. Although ROSCA does not prohibit negative options, it does enact certain requirements to ensure that the buyer has informed consent.

How Do Consumer Protection Laws Apply to Mortgage Lending?

Consumer protection laws safeguard borrowers against discrimination and predatory lending practices. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, national origin, and several other categories. This prohibition applies at every stage of the mortgage application process.

In addition, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act prohibits several aspects of predatory lending, such as undisclosed mortgage terms and steering clients to those mortgage products that carry a higher commission.

What Are Consumer Protection Laws for Bankruptcy?

The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act has several provisions to limit abuse of the bankruptcy system, including an income threshold for Chapter 7 bankruptcy for individuals. It also protects IRAs from bankruptcy liquidations, so a person who declares bankruptcy will not have to lose their retirement savings.

What Are Consumer Protection Laws That Protect Your Privacy?

The Fair Credit Reporting Act limits the use of consumers' credit history, such as bill payments and borrowing history. Also, the Financial Modernization Act of 1999 (also known as the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act) establishes protections for personal financial information and requires banks to disclose clearly how private information will be used.

The modern economy is dependent on consumer protection laws. These rules help eliminate bad businesses as well as give consumers peace of mind and encourage them to spend more. Over the past few decades, the number of laws has continued to grow and evolve to reflect new technologies and business practices. And thanks to the Internet and other technologies, consumers are better informed of their rights than ever before.

Cornell Law School. " Consumer Protection Laws ."

Federal Trade Commission. " Warranties ."

Federal Trade Commission. " Fair Credit Reporting Act ."

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. " The Laws That Govern the Securities Industry ."

Cornell Law School. " Personal Information ."

U.S. Congress. " H.R.4173 - Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act ."

U.S. Department of Justice. " The Fair Housing Act ."

Federal Trade Commission. " Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ."

Federal Reserve. “ Federal Trade Commission Act Section 5: Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices ,” Page 1.

Federal Communications Commission. “ Telephone Consumer Protection Act 47 U.S.C. § 227 .”

Federal Trade Commission. ” CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business .”

Federal Trade Commission. " Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act .”

Federal Trade Commission. " Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule .”

U.S. Department of Justice. " Federal, State Partners Announce Multi-Agency Crackdown Targeting Foreclosure Rescue Scams, Loan Modification Fraud ."

Federal Trade Commission. " Coronavirus Scams: What the FTC Is Doing ."

U.S. Department of the Treasury. " Covid-19 Scams ."

Federal Trade Commission. " Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act ."

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. " Housing Discrimination Under the Fair Housing Act ."

U.S. Congress. " S.256 - Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 ."

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• October 2019
• Conference: Consumer Protection act and its Usage in India.
• At: Mahatma Gandhi Central University Motihari.

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• Intro and Importance of Consumer Protection

Gone are the days of “Caveat Emptor” now it is “Consumer is King”. There are no dearth of sellers who wish to fulfil all of the consumer’s demands, and cannot afford to alienate consumers with bad service or products. Consumers have tools at their disposal such as consumer complaints, courts, forums etc. Let us take a look at consumer protection in India.

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Introduction to consumer protection.

A consumer is the one who assumes to be treated like a King as they bring business to the seller. Previously “consumer was asked to beware” but these days fingers have been pointed to seller “let seller be beware” as due to policies introduced, government laws, consumer protection, NGO and the increased competition in the market.

Consumer Protection is a term given to a practice wherein we need to protect the consumer from the unfair practice, educating them about their rights and responsibilities and also redressing their grievances.

Browse more Topics under Consumer Protection

• Consumer Protection Act
• Consumer Rights/Responsibilities
• Legal Protection to Consumers
• Consumer Organisations and NGOs

Why do Consumers need to be Protected?

There are n number of products in the market which are injurious to the health of the consumer, adulteration, false weights, monopoly and unfair trade practice are some of the issues that need to be tackled and are to be addressed to protect the consumer against it.

How do we Protect the Consumer?

• The consumer should be educated on their rights and responsibilities
• Their grievances should be redressed
• The judicial body requires to provide them with the justice.

Importance of Consumer Protection

I. importance from consumer point of view  .

• Consumer Ignorance : Consumer when seeing it from their point of view then we have gathered some aspects to it. Of which, Consumer Ignorance needs to be taken care of they should know how to exercise their rights and how to seek reliefs.
• Unorganised Consumer : We need a Consumer Organisation which can unify the consumers and help them seek relief with their consumer issues.
• Widespread Exploitation of Consumer : Consumer is been exploited through the ways of adulteration, false practice, fake weights, incomplete information on packaged products, Misleading Advertisements . For instance, there are many products that claim to make you fair or reduce your weight but when you use the products it does not provide what is promised.

II. Importance from Business Point of View

Do business really need to consider consumer protection, is there a way which can benefit them as well? Let us have a look at some of the points which provide us with some insight :

• Long-Term Interest of Business : If one wants to increase their customer base in long-term then they need to make a satisfied customer. A satisfied customer with their word of mouth would make more customer and increase the consumer base.
• Business uses society’s Resources : Business should not hamper consumer confidence as most of the resources taken from the society. In turn, business keeps in mind public interest and provide products accordingly.
• Social Responsibility : Business have responsibilities towards the consumer, government bodies and society and they should work in a way which should be beneficial to them and the business as in return it will flourish their business.
• Moral Justice : Business has a moral duty to the society and consumer and they should take steps which should not hamper the society or consumer. They should prevent any sort of exploitation like adulteration, unfair practices, defective product, fair price and weight.
• Government Intervention : To avoid the situation of government intervention in the business which could be a hectic task. For that business should design their trade practice in such a way which would be in the interest of the consumer.

Consumer Complaints

Consumer Complaints are the first step of redressal that the customer takes in the process of consumer protection. Hence this is the most important step that the businesses need to handle with extreme care and dexterity. And in the times of the internet consumer complaints and feedback has more power than ever

Consumer complaints can actually help an organization improve their products and services. It is a great form of feedback. It gives you a very fair measure of customer satisfaction. And if consumer complaints are dealt with swiftly it actually helps with customer retention and even improves the goodwill of your company.

So instead of treating consumer complaints as a hindrance or a headache, organizations can treat it as a way to bring about improvement and grow their consumer base.

Solved Question for You

Question: What are the ways and means of Consumer Protection?

Ans: The various ways and means of Consumer Protection are:

• Self Regulation
• Consumer Organisations
• Consumer Awareness
• Business Associations

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• Consumer Awareness, Consumer Rights and Responsibilities

2 responses to “Consumer Organisations and NGOs”

from -mukesh m chandiramani,7a-30,navjivan society,lamington road,mumbai-400008 i had booked the appoinment for covid-19 test for mr mukesh mohan chandiramani(age 48) and rekha mohan chandiramani(age 73) with KlinicApp Network Lab – Krsnaa Diagnostics dated 30-07-2020.but the government of maharashtra did not allow KlinicApp Network Lab – Krsnaa Diagnostics to enter navjivan society,lamington road,mumbai-400008.the government of maharashtra blocked my testing by KlinicApp Network Lab – Krsnaa Diagnostics,inspite of repeated calls to 022-23835004 bmc d ward office i was not allowed to be tested for covid-19.i have sent emails to hon chief mininster of maharashtra and hon prime minister of india dated 30-07-2020 and 31-07-2020 but till date i have not got any reply. i would like the government of india to pay me compensation of 5 lacs for blocking my covid -19 test dated 30-07-2020

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68 Consumer Protection Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best consumer protection topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good research topics about consumer protection, 🎓 interesting topics to write about consumer protection.

• Consumer Protection: Does It Work Simultaneously, for an attorney and police professionals who know their job, detecting the signs of crime in consumer extortion is not difficult, and the police department can interpret such actions as felony.
• The Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Five commissioners lead the FTC, which is divided into agencies such as the Bureau of Competition and the Bureau of Consumer Protection.
• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission The two organizations are essential for the economy of the United States and ensuring that merchants observe the rights of consumers.
• Consumer Protection Law: Product Recall The level of negligence in allowing the use of the LED bulbs by the consumers is minimal and the risks that have been reported by the consumers of the goods are less.
• Business Law, Consumer Protection Laws The role plays by the law in the control of the supply of products that are harmful to the body remains only to few people who can dispute. The due effect of this is that […]
• Antitrust and Consumer Protection Law Scenario In this section we will briefly review the circumstances of the case against the sexual harassment laws that governs the workplaces of all the organizations in the United States.
• Contract Law in Business and Consumer Protection When the couple approached the hotel manager, they were referred to the terms and conditions form they had signed as they checked in and one of the terms and conditions read that the hotel will […]
• Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading 2008 This paper assesses the extent to which the implementation of the requirements of the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive by Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 has resulted in the general duty for fair trade.[3] […]
• The New York State Consumer Protection Board They go on in stating that it is not the credit crunch or the subprime meltdown crisis that developed out of the reach of the law and thus made it necessary for it to be […]
• Consumer Protection and Communication In the period of globalization, a consumer is a person who accesses global resources and buys global goods and services.in its turn, the consumer is influenced by “global web of logos and brands”.
• Bankruptcy and the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 The stated purpose of the amendments to the Bankruptcy Code enacted in the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 ‘ is to “improve bankruptcy law and practice by restoring personal responsibility and […]
• Financial Services and Consumer Protection After the Crisis The case-study examines principal theories and the reasoning behind market intervention for the purpose of consumer prevention in the post-crisis era.
• Consumer Protection Without Law The purpose of this article is to investigate the regime of one-way contracts between the customer and the business, which binds the consumers to the business and not the other way.
• Dubai Consumer Protection Division’s Activities It is possible to identify current customer preferences, interests, and needs and use the accumulated data to improve the quality of service.
• Safety and Consumer Protection in US Airline Industry This paper reviews and discusses one safety recommendation by the NTSB and one consumer protection by the Department of Transportation, with the view to demonstrating how safety and consumer protection issues are entrenched within the […]
• Poison Politics: A Contentious History of Consumer Protection Against Dangerous Household Chemicals in the United States Lastly, the authors use the concepts of mass consumption and advertisement to demonstrate how the problem of misusing dangerous household chemicals became internalized in America.
• Consumer Protection: European and UK Regulation According to the EU, the objective of a good customer protection approach includes the ability to empower the consumer through the creation of a transparent market which can supply the consumer with a wide spectrum […]
• The Protection of Consumer Welfare The Household Preferences over the Two Goods with Similar Policy Implications on the Household Items In Terms Of the Utility and Level of Consumption of the Two Goods Convex indifference curves are extensively used in […]
• The Effectiveness of Alcohol Marketing, Regulation and How It Is Can Protect the Consumer From Fake Products The institution has the mandate to inspect places of work, and production factories, carry out surveys of goods in the market, test and approve the products in the market, and to persecute those found to […]
• The Consumer Financial Protection Agency Act of 2009 Implementation of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency Act will affect providers and consumers of financial products and services in some ways; it will lead to sweeping of consumer financial protection.
• Consumer Protection in the UAE The cost of UAE’s consumer behavior is therefore the high expectations on the government to deliver but ultimately, the benefits for such high consumer expectations would be better customer services, increased employment opportunities and the […]
• Consumer Protection with Regard to the Ethics Code The APA’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct is a set of rules and standard aimed at sustaining favorable relationships between a psychologist and a patient/client and introducing the basis for customer protection.
• 1987’s Consumer Protection Act and Its Impact
• Agencies Adopt Consumer Protection Rules for Insurance Sales
• Australian and New Zealand Competition and Consumer Protection Regimes
• Overview of Australian Consumer Protection Legislation
• Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection
• Banks and the 2005 Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act
• Relations Between Behavioural Economics and Financial Consumer Protection
• Business and Consumer Protection in Islam
• Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act
• Competition and Consumer Protection in the Romanian Banking Sector
• Considering Market-Based Instruments for Consumer Protection in Higher Education
• Consumerism: Consumer Protection and Competitive Advantage
• Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
• Consumer Protection and Consumerism of India
• Linking Consumer Protection and Contingent Charges
• Consumer Protection and Federal Trade Commission
• E-Commerce Audit Connection With the Consumer Protection
• Consumer Protection and Financial Innovation: A Few Basic Propositions
• The Link Between Consumer Protection and E-commerce
• Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy: Lessons From Nine Country Studies
• The Unintended Consequence of Doorstep Consumer Protection
• Consumer Protection and the Incentive to Become Informed
• Ethical Consumerism: Consumer Protection Law in India
• Consumer Protection and the Role of Advice in the Retail Financial Services Market
• Federal Consumer Protection Regulation: Disclosures and Beyond
• Consumer Protection From Unfair Trading Regulations
• Fixing Consumer Protection Laws So Borrowers Understand Their Payment Obligations
• Consumer Protection Laws and Regulations in Deposit and Loan Services
• Overview of Information Remedies for Consumer Protection
• Consumer Protection Through Prices: Energetic Sector in European Union Countries Analysis
• Jamaica Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy
• Consumer Protection Using the Legal Instrument of Infringement
• Linking Law, Consumer Protection Act, and Competition Law
• Customer Service and Consumer Protection at Richer Sounds
• The Relationships Between Online Commerce and Consumer Protection
• Customer Service Quality and Incomplete Information in Mobile Telecommunications
• Online Consumer Protection: Theories of Human Relativism
• Private Voluntary Health Insurance: Consumer Protection and Prudential Regulation
• Relief Under Consumer Protection Law and Policy
• Sales Talk, Cancellation Terms, and the Role of Consumer Protection
• Marketing Segmentation Questions
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An Overview of the Consumer Protection Act ,1986

It was with the emergence of the free market economy that the concept of “consumer is king”, widely followed and accepted.  The 20 th century was marked by the advent of consumerism where there were frequent trade wars and conflicts between market share holders with a constant need to be better than the rest. This resulted in stiff competition with the traders resorting to unfair trade practises & manipulating the customers and took advantage of the lack of knowledge of the purchasers.

Soon, there was a need to put an end to this and that gradual shift was noted with the growing prominence of the notion “caveat venditor” meaning “Let the buyers beware” instead of previously accepted “caveat emptor” meaning “Let the Sellers beware”. –The establishment of Caveat Venditor held the seller responsible for any defective goods sold or for any unfair services rendered.

The leading case of Donoghue v Stevenson  is considered to be the landmark judgment for laws relating to product liability where the manufacturer was held liable for the court for the presence of snail in ginger beer. This was a hallmark in cases relating to consumer protection opening floodgates and called for the need of legislations to take care of the consumers and to protect their interests.

Consumer protection , however, was found not to be limited just to one single legislation but involved amendments and reissuing of multiple such statutes as that of the Sale of Goods Act, 1930, Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and the Competition Act, 2002 being the few of those many legislations which promoted the concept of ‘Consumerism’.

Consumer protection is now restricted not just to the protection of rights but also to the promotion of consumer interests and to encourage legislations keeping in mind the welfare of the people and in furtherance of their multifarious interests.

Under Consumer Protection Act, 1986 (COPRA), Consumer Councils were set up at the Centre, State and District levels with appellate and pecuniary jurisdiction. Cases over 1 crore came under the Centre council and cases between 20 Lakhs to 1 Crore were discussed in the State council and anything below that were in the District Levels.

After signing the United Nations General Assembly Resolution No. 39 of 248, in 1985 India found the need to draft a legislation to protect the interest of the consumers.. All the remedies available to the consumers before then were mainly punitive in nature & not compensatory.  Due to the high cost of litigation, consumers were never really benefitted and the whole long-drawn legal process became a non-profitable one. This called for the need of a legislation that would provide compensation as well and thus came into being, the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

Consumer Protection Act, 1986: An Insight

The development of a nation is often measurred by multiple parameters ; and economic well-being invariably becomes a crucial parameters. This involves transactions and other dealings and at one end of such trades, are the consumers whose rights ought to be protected. Hence, it was important for a country like India to have legislations that dealt with promotion of interests of consumers and thus came about the legislation of Consumer Protection Act, 1986 .

With the rapid expansion in trade and commerce, the traders had an unfair upper hand over the consumers and this was a direct consequence of industrialisation.Consumers had little or no knowledge about the rights available to them and hence were pushed to a disadvantage.

 But, it was only in 1986 that the law-makers of the nation decided to structure and streamline the efforts made towards protecting consumers’ interests and stressed for the need of a welfare legislation in the form of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

The introduction of the COPRA in 1986 was to protect the interests of the consumers and to safeguard their rights as well. It provided a multi-dimensional approach to promote consumer interests which included spreading of awareness and establishment of consumer councils.  This provided a platform for the consumers to settle consumer disputes. It also envisioned this to be a medium that would facilitate a faster and efficient way for redressal.

The aim and objective along with the purpose for which the act was established, is explained under Section 6, 8 and 8B of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. Section 6 goes on to detail the rights which the act aims to protect and lists them as:

• Right to safety of life and property from hazardous goods.
• Right to information about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods and services so as to protect consumers against unfair trade practices.
• Right to choice as to variety of goods and services.
• Right to be heard and representation and to be assured that consumer interests will receive due consideration at appropriated platform.
• Right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices or restrictive trade practices or unscrupulous exploitation of consumers.
• Right to consumer education

Consumer Protection Act: Definitions Over the Years

The rights enshrined in Section 6 of the act were considered to be inalienable and was determined not to be squashed in between any unfair trade practices and helped any prudent consumer in their course of redressal.

Classification The Actdetermined that in case of any violation of these rights, complaints could be raised and the act provided various provisions which defined what ‘complaints’ were and who all were entitled to raise those. Section 2 (1) (b) of the act placed the ‘complainants’ into 5 categories:

• A consumer;
• Any voluntary consumer organization registered under the companies’ act, 1956 or under any other law for the time being in force;
• The central government or the state government;
• One or more consumers or class action suit
• Legal heir of the consumers

Section 2 (1)(c) further goes on to define what all can constitute a ‘complaint’ and inclusively defines all issues against which the consumers can have a cause of action.

VCOs The act was amended twice in both 1993 and 2002. The 1993 amendment was significant with respect to how it gave an opportunity to Voluntary Consumer Organisations (VCOs) to file Public Interest Litigations on behalf of a large number of consumers using a combined reading of both the provisions of Section 2(1)(b)(iv) and Section 2(1)(b)(ii).

Class Action Section 2(1)(b)(iv) allows one or more consumers to file a class action suit which proved to be the medium for multiple consumers with a common cause to come together and raise their query before the concerned body of justice. This provision was further exemplified and the amendment came about in the wake of the 1993 case of Mumbai Grahak Panchayat v Lohia Machines Limited .

Mumbai Grahak Panchayat v Lohia Machines Limited

More than 100 people had registered for the purchase of scooters from LML and had paid the registration fees of 500 Rupees.

After promising the delivery of the scooters within a specific time, the consumers cancelled their registration and called for the refund of the registration fees upon non-delivery of the scooters.

A class-action suit was filed on behalf of all the aggrieved consumers and by virtue of the introduction of claims under PIL as well, people who had not filed the class action suit were also entitled to receive the compensation and the court ordered the compensation to the tune of 400 million rupees and took care of the interests of the consumers.

National Seeds Corporation v M. Madhusudhanan Reddy

Section 2(1)(d) of the act explained as to who all would fall under the ambit of the definition of ‘consumers’. In the case of National Seeds Corporation v M. Madhusudhanan Reddy , the definition of a consumer under Section 2(1)(d)(i) was expanded in order to include farmers and reinforced its role as a welfare legislation.

This case also helped clear the fog regarding the interpretation of Section 3 of the legislation. It was decided here that the objective of the Consumer Protection Act was to offer compensatory relief in addition to any other provision in another act existing at that time. It was specifically emphasised that the provisions in COPRA would only be in addition and never in derogation to the laws that existed during that time.

There were multiple such instances over the years that proved time and again that the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 was a welfare legislation with provisions included in order to protect and promote the interests of the consumers. The various amendments made both in 1993 and 2002, kept in mind the interests of the people and the widening of the scope of a class action suit under Section 2(1)(b)(iv) was symbolic of that intention.

Consumer Protection: Role Played by Voluntary Consumer Organisations (VCOs)

In addition to the protection of consumer interests, there is an added burden on the legislation to facilitate methods so as to improve awareness amongst the consumers. They also have a responsibility to enable speedy justice to the consumers in distress. In order to bring this about, there were groups of organisations called the VCOs that were formed. These VCOs acted as platforms that would make sure that the voices of the consumers were heard and they were well represented.

Section 2(1)(b)(ii) of the legislation gives the VCOs a locus standi to represent the consumers in their cause of action. It is the constant interference of the VCOs that encourage such manufacturers and traders to provide a certain level of quality in their productions and thereby, increases the standard of consumption.

By virtue of such constant checks enforced on the traders, the stigma of monopoly is also thereby abolished providing a scope for competition in the free market with everyone trying to outsmart the other in terms of quality of goods and services.

By means of judicial activism, such VCOs are often able to influence the decisions made by the consumers’ courts and courts in order to favour the people and their interests. A writ petition issued by VOICE called for the intervention of the Supreme Court which made laws on adulteration more stringent and strict and try to diminish the loopholes.

This was exemplary of the power that VCOs had in asserting authority and affecting the decisions made by the parliament in favour of the interests of the consumers.

Even though there are numerous benefits that VCOs bring to the table, there are often multiple problems that the VCOs face in their course of addressing the concerns of the consumers. Due to the lack of awareness amongst the consumers, there are very few occasions where people approach the VCOs asking them to take up their cause.

But this was solved by the 1993 amendment which gave VCOs the right to file PILs on behalf of a large class of consumers who were aggrieved but did not have any means to redressal.

Then arose the problem of funding and added on to the list of challenges faced by the VCOs. Even though the VCOs were to funded by the Consumer Welfare Fund found in 1992, it does not quite solve the problem of accessibility to people who are generally illiterate and often end up being victimised at the hands of the traders who get the better of them.

 Due to lack of sufficient funds, the VCOs are often forced to turn to the Government for help. This leads to biases.

VCO which is supposed to work as an organisation aimed at protecting consumer interests often end up favouring the Government in cases where it is at fault due to its dependency on the Government for funds.

Despite all these challenges that the VCOs face, there are a plethora of services that they have on offer, the chief of them being, the promotion of right to representation and the right to information. But there is of course a long way to go in consumer protection and there is a whole array of things which needs improvement and deserves attention.

Judgments That Left a Mark: Guarding Rights and Interests

General Manager Telecom, BSNL v Krishnan

In the 2009 case of General Manager Telecom, BSNL v Krishnan , the jurisdiction of the consumer forum was challenged.

The point of contention was as to whether the consumer had a course of action under Section 7B of the Indian Telegraph Act or under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

It was ruled in favour of the former. This called for a broad expansion of the scope of Section 3 of the Consumer Protection Act and was further clarified in the 2012 case of J. Subramanian v M/s. Bharti Airtel   where in it was held that the provisions in COPRA would be in addition and not in derogation to the provisions of any other act existing at that time.

The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 was enacted as a statute so as to initiate better protection of the consumers and also to enable adjudication of consumer disputes. It was further envisioned to act as an effective alternative remedy.

In the case of Buddhist Mission Dental College v Bhupesh Khurana , capitation fees were paid under the belief of false advertisement when the students availed the services of a college which offered attractive facilities and prospects on paper but failed to materialise in reality.

It was found in this case that none of the facts mentioned were true and hence considered the advertisements to be misleading. The final judgment was given to the tune of considering imparting of education to be a service which was reaffirmed with the paying of fees and was ruled that the inability to offer the services advertised constitute deficiency of services and hence determined the cause of action for the consumers and expanded the scope of Section 2(1)(d).

Deputy Registrar v Ruchika Jain

The case of Deputy Registrar v Ruchika Jain , distinguished and differentiated between the services rendered by the educational institutions in terms of imparting education and conducting exams.

As previously determined, the provision for educational facilities were considered under the ambit of ‘services’ as defined under the act while that of conducting exams was considered to be a statutory function.

It was therefore held that a student appearing for the exams could not be considered to be a consumer within the meaning of Section 2(1)(b) read along with Section 2(1)(o) as they had not hired or availed the services of the educational institutions.

This decision was further reaffirmed in the 2009 judgment of Bihar School Examination v Suresh Prasad Sinha which also held that the conducting of exams did not come under the definition of ‘services’ as explained in the act but was merely a statutory function.

Spring Meadows Hospital v Harjol Ahluwalia

Due to the medical negligence of the staff of a hospital, a child had died and it was contested before the court in the case of Spring Meadows Hospital v Harjol Ahluwalia , as to whether the parents of the child had a cause of action against the hospital.

It was ruled in favour of the parents by expanding the definition of the ‘consumer’ as under Section 2(1)(d) of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

It was held that when the child was taken to the hospital to avail the services of the hospital, they would fall under the definition of a ‘consumer’ as they were a beneficiary of the services. Both the parents and the child were to be included and thus both were entitled to compensation.

This principle was further reinstated in the case of Indian Medical Association v V.P. Shantha  where 12 major conclusions of the judgment were highlighted with ample emphasis being laid on the definition of ‘service’ as under Section 2(1)(o) of the COPRA. This helped to clear the fog regarding the inclusion of the services rendered at hospitals and nursing homes under the definition as mentioned in Section 2(1)(o) of the act.

There were numerous judgments over the years that dealt with protecting the interests of the consumers and thereby, affixed the role of COPRA as a welfare legislation. All these rulings could be bracketed under different headings including education, medical sector, real estate etc. This showed the pervasive nature of the relevance of the COPRA legislation in all walks of free market economy which involved purchase of goods and the rendering of services.

Lack of consumer awareness and the existence of consumers as an unorganised sector are problems that continue to plague the Capitalistic economy. It gives the traders an unfair advantage over the purchasers who are subjected to further market risks. This often leads to the widespread exploitation of consumers and this is where COPRA as a legislation becomes crucial.

In order to protect the long term interests of businessmen and also to keep Government intervention at minimum, it is important for the Government to raise their quality of goods and services and provide an appreciable standard of materials and services to the consumer. The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 is merely a legislation which tries to keep a check on these multiple aspects relating to the promotion of interests of consumers.

Product liability laws existed without a structure internationally up until the judgment of Donoghue v Stevenson and it was only after 1932 that the momentum for the protection of consumer interests picked up and there has been no turning back since then. Even though there were multiple legislations including the Sale of Goods Act, 1930 and Essential Commodities Act, 1955 that existed even then, it was only after that the establishment of COPRA that consumer rights and its protection in India were structured and streamlined in India.

The efficient redressal mechanism linked with this legislation is a highlight and with the establishment of the District Forum, State Commission and the National Commission, speedy justice is ensured. There is also a certain level of autonomy granted to each of these institutions and their linked to each other by means of appeal.

Consumer education and the protection of their interests form the essence of the objective of this legislation. In order to bring this about, the accessibility should be improved by a lot more participation in the rural areas. This is where the role played by VCOs becomes very important.

These organisations often act as platforms where people can raise their concerns and seek redressal. People who are often unaware of the complexities of such proceedings can always approach the VCOs to carry their interests forward.

There are a lot of questions which are yet to answered when it comes to consumer protection and the role played by both the consumers and the Government. We, as consumers, do have the added responsibility to be aware about our rights and to make sure we are not subjected to any unfair trade practises.

Philip is a second year law student at National Law University, Delhi who takes keen interest in constitutional law and matters relating to contemporary affairs of law. He takes profound interest in legal writing.

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Amazon is responsible for dangerous products sold on its site, federal agency rules

Amazon must notify customers about and remove products deemed dangerous that it sells through its website, federal regulators ruled Tuesday.

In a unanimous decision, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said that as a "distributor," Amazon ultimately bears legal responsibility for affected products' recalls, even if they are sold in the first instance by third-party sellers using the Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) program.

"Amazon failed to notify the public about these hazardous products and did not take adequate steps to encourage its customers to return or destroy them, thereby leaving consumers at substantial risk of injury," the commission said.

More than 400,000 products sold on Amazon.com, including faulty carbon monoxide alarms and potentially flammable children's pajamas and hair dryers, are subject to the order, though Amazon has already removed and notified customers about many of them.  

“We are disappointed by the CPSC’s decision," an Amazon spokesperson told NBC News, saying the company will appeal the commission's decision.

"When we were initially notified by the CPSC three years ago about potential safety issues with a small number of third-party products at the center of this lawsuit, we swiftly notified customers, instructed them to stop using the products, and refunded them," the spokesperson said.

Amazon must now develop and submit proposals about how it will notify purchasers and the broader public about future product hazards, and to provide refunds or replacements for the products, the CPSC said. 

The Amazon spokesperson said there are "proactive measures in place to prevent unsafe products," adding that the company continuously monitors listings in its store.

"If we discover an unsafe product available for sale, we address the issue immediately, and refine our processes.”

The agency had  sued  Amazon in July 2021, forcing the company to recall hundreds of thousands of hazardous products sold on its platform via the FBA program, which accounts for approximately 60% of all sales on its platform.

In response, Amazon said it had removed a “vast majority” of such products from its store and refunded customers even as it maintained that it only provides logistics services to independent merchants and is not a distributor.

The CPSC disagreed with that argument.

“Amazon cannot sidestep its obligations under the [Consumer Product Safety Act] simply because some portion of its extensive services involve logistics,” its decision states. “Amazon must therefore comply with the CPSA to protect consumers from injury.”

Separately, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it had last week issued a warning letter to Amazon over its distribution of potent chemical peel drug products that violated the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

Rob Wile is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist covering breaking business stories for NBCNews.com.

Essay on Consumer Rights

Students are often asked to write an essay on Consumer Rights in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Consumer Rights

Introduction to consumer rights.

Consumer rights are the basic rights given to every person who buys goods and services. They are important for fair trade and honesty in the market. These rights protect consumers from being cheated or treated unfairly by businesses.

Types of Consumer Rights

Importance of consumer rights.

Consumer rights are important for a fair and honest market. They protect consumers from harmful products, false advertising, and unfair prices. They also ensure that consumers have a voice in the market and can make informed choices.

Consumer Rights Protection

There are laws and organizations that protect consumer rights. They make sure businesses follow the rules and treat consumers fairly. If a business breaks these rules, it can be punished. Consumers can also complain if they feel their rights have been violated.

Also check:

250 Words Essay on Consumer Rights

Understanding consumer rights.

Consumer rights are rules made by governments to protect people who buy goods and services. These rights make sure that consumers are treated fairly and not cheated by businesses.

The Importance of Consumer Rights

Consumer rights are important for several reasons. Firstly, they ensure that consumers get what they pay for. If a product or service is not as described, consumers have the right to a refund, replacement or repair. Secondly, consumer rights protect people from dangerous products. If a product is unsafe, it can be taken off the market to protect consumers.

There are several types of consumer rights. The right to safety means that products should not harm consumers. The right to be informed means that businesses should give consumers clear and truthful information about products. The right to choose means that consumers should have a choice of products at fair prices. The right to be heard means that consumers should have a say in how products are made and sold.

Protecting Your Consumer Rights

500 words essay on consumer rights.

Consumer rights are protections given to buyers of goods and services against unfair practices of sellers. They are laws and rules that make sure that consumers get fair treatment. It is important for everyone to understand these rights to protect themselves from being taken advantage of.

There are eight basic consumer rights. The first one is the right to satisfaction of basic needs. This means that everyone should have access to basic, necessary goods and services like food, clothing, and shelter.

The third right is the right to be informed. Sellers must give complete and correct information about the products they sell. This includes things like ingredients, instructions for use, and warnings about possible dangers.

The sixth right is the right to redress. This means that if a product is not good or if it causes harm, the consumer has the right to get their money back, get the product replaced, or get compensation for any harm caused.

The last right is the right to a healthy environment. This means that the production, use, and disposal of products should not harm the world we live in.

Consumer rights are important for many reasons. They protect consumers from being cheated or treated unfairly. They also make sure that products are safe to use. Without these rights, sellers might sell dangerous or poor-quality products without any consequences.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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Internet Drug Prohibition and the Opioid Overdose Crisis

Washington Law Review | Vol. 99:361, 2024

72 Pages Posted: 29 Jul 2024

Benjamin A. Barsky

Harvard University

Date Written: June 28, 2024

The Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act (Ryan Haight Act) prohibits controlled substance tele-prescribing when it occurs without a preliminary in-person medical evaluation. This Article details the Ryan Haight Act’s consequences for the practice of telemedicine in general and opioid addiction treatment in particular. In doing so, it builds on literature exploring the tension between the federal criminal regulation of controlled substance prescribing and the management of large-scale public health crises, particularly the opioid overdose crisis.

By restricting the tele-prescription of certain controlled substances used for opioid addiction treatment, the Ryan Haight Act limits access to care for a highly vulnerable patient population that surpasses six million people nationwide. This issue has persisted despite telemedicine proving to be as effective as in-person health care for this form of treatment.

Furthermore, U.S. telemedicine governance has evolved since the passage of the Ryan Haight Act, with several states adopting their own restrictions on controlled substance tele-prescribing. Using Medicare claims data and a dataset of state telemedicine policies, and leveraging the federal enforcement waiver of the in-person medical evaluation rule during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, this Article investigates state policymaking behavior and its health service implications. Forty-two states and the District of Columbia affirmatively liberalized controlled substance tele-prescribing during the COVID-19 pandemic, while eight states imposed their own in-person medical evaluation requirements. Patients in states with restrictions were twenty-two percent less likely to start opioid addiction treatment via telemedicine than patients in states without restrictions. Conceptually, these findings illuminate the contours and porosity of states’ autonomy in the regulation of medicine. Practically, these findings reveal that changes in federal controlled substance policy will be insufficient to maximize treatment access if they fail to account for state tele-prescribing restrictions.

Against this backdrop, this Article offers a blueprint for controlled substance law that seeks to improve access to opioid addiction treatment, and that accounts for the variation in postures that the federal and state governments have adopted toward controlled substance teleprescribing. It proposes legislative, regulatory, and judicial remedies that share a common purpose: shielding clinicians from law enforcement actions when tele-prescribing opioid addiction medications.

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CONSUMER AWARENESS

In the latest trend of Marketing, the buyer is the soul of all its operation and functioning. The market gets insightful, and in some cases, the purchaser needs to experience its brunt. In this manner, buyer assurance is a demonstration of furnishing shoppers with complete data about the services, their rights, and merchandise.

Consumer awareness is vital as they put their time and cash into promotional exercises, and they reserve an option to straightforward data.

Misdirecting commercials, risky or unsafe items, cheating and unweighing, and different acts of neglect are performed by corrupt business entities. Consumer awareness is a demonstration of saving buyers from such wrongdoings.

Meaning of Consumer Awareness:

Consumer Awareness is a demonstration of ensuring the purchaser or buyer knows about the data and information about items, products, administrations, and buyers’ privileges. Consumer awareness is significant with the goal that purchasers can settle on the best choice and settle on the ideal decision. Shoppers reserve the privilege to data or information, the option to pick, right to wellbeing.

The Prerequisite for Customer Protection:

• The shopper or the end consumer is the main component in business. No business can make do without purchasers as their fulfilment is the fundamental reason for any business activity.
• Business isn’t just with regards to money-related advantages yet additionally updating society to a superior variant by keeping its welfare as a goal.
• The Constitution has given us the Consumer Protection act 1986 to shield the customers from any promoting misbehaviours.
• Consumer protection rights advance a solid aggressive market that upholds financial development. It wards off pernicious exchange practices and deceitful entrepreneurs from harming reasonable or fair trade or exchange.
• Shoppers are an essential piece of a market structure. It is vital to secure their privileges and rights to have a reasonable or fair market structure.

What are Consumer Rights?

The Consumer Protection Act 1986 was sanctioned by the Parliament of India in 1986 to safeguard the interests of consumers in India. According to our economy, the perfect measure of demand with consistent and dependable supply can aid the development of the economy. Henceforth, to shield the purchasers from any kind of abuse or exploitation, this act was presented.

Types of Consumer Rights:

Right to information:.

The buyer has an option to get data about the quality, amount, strength, standard, and cost of the products or services. The buyer ought to legitimately ask for getting all the data about the product or service prior to settling on a decision or a choice. This will empower him to make very much educated and thoughtful choices, and furthermore, keep himself from succumbing to high-pressure selling methods. The right to data is utilised to protect shoppers from tricky promotions, deluding marks and bundling, excessive costs, and so on.

Right to Choose:

This right gives admittance to all the assortment of products and services and cutthroat costs. In a monopolistic market, the products and services ought to be of the best quality and cost.

The dealer ought not to utilise forceful methods to see the items, and buyers ought to reserve the privilege to all the assortment of choices, substitutions, and alternatives. This right requires free competition in the market. The customer ought to have a free decision in picking a product from the market.

Right to be Heard:

The other rights are pointless in the event that there could be no appropriate power to pay attention to client complaints. Assuming a purchaser is disappointed with the service or a product, then, at that point, one has the option to document a grievance against it, and it must be tended to inside a set time period. For example, assuming that a shopper purchases an electronic item and it begins breaking down, a customer has all privileges to make a fitting move by returning or supplanting it.

Right to Seek Redressal:

This right gives power to the buyers to settle any cases, complaints, and claims against dealers for their out-of-line exchange practices and double-dealing or exploitation. The purchaser has the privilege to review in case the nature of the item is compromised. Buyers need to document an objection under the Consumer Protection Act.

Right to Customer Education:

A purchaser should know about his freedoms and obligations given by the authorities with respect to advertising and marketing practices. This is a vital right as this sets out the establishment for reasonable exchange or trade practices as a customer knows about his freedoms or rights. The customer has all the positions and authority to acquire information about his privileges and rights as a purchaser.

Right to Safety:

This is a fundamental right to be ensured against the advertising of such products and services, which are perilous to life and property. Utilisation or consumption of products and services which are not up to standard can effectively affect the shopper’s wellbeing and security. To secure the shoppers’ interest, they reserve an option to get top calibre and dependable merchandise. For example, household products like LPG cylinders, if not fixed as expected, can cause massive harm to life and property; stale food products can hurt purchasers’ wellbeing; low-quality beauty care products can cause comparative damages.

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Short Essay on Consumer Protection Act

Short Essay on Consumer Protection Act – Knowledge is power and ignorance is the root cause of exploitation. In a free market economy consumer is king but he still needs to be protected against exploitation for which there is a need to spread awareness about their rights as buyer at market place.

Consumer often becomes victim of unfair competition, marketing policies, cumbersome legal process, cost and agony. Therefore, the primary challenge was to put such a mechanism in place that could protect the rights of the consumers without subjecting them to unnecessarily cumbersome legal process.

Secondly, it was also to be ensured that the cost of approaching a redressed forum was reasonable. Keeping all of the above in mind Parliament enacted Consumer Protection Act, 1986. A consumer has a right to information, to safety, to complain and to the redressed of grievance.

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Under this law the consumer forums were set up at the District level, State level and at the National level i.e. District Consumer Forum, State Commission and National Commission along with the Consumer Protection Council at these three levels.

Collectively these forums are to protect and promote consumer rights. In order to meet the current need for the consumer protection the Parliament has amended the Consumer Protection Act more than five times up to March, 2004. Besides the Consumer Protection Act, the Contract Act and the Sale of Goods Act are the Central Legislations to protect the interests of the consumer through civil court process.

The Food Adulteration Act, the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, Bureau of Indian Standards Act, Essential Commodities Act and the Standard of Weights and Measures Act are also collectively helpful to the consumers.

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