Consumer Awareness
Consumer Awareness is an act of making sure the buyer or consumer
is aware of the information about products, goods, services, and
consumers rights. Consumer awareness is important so that buyer
can take the right decision and make the right choice. Consumers
have the right to information, right to choose, right to safety.
Consumer Rights and Responsibilities
Consumer Rights is an insight into what rights consumer holds when it comes to
seller which provide the goods. What if the goods provided to the consumer by
the business is not up to the standard? Then in that case – what should a consumer
do? To be precise, what rights consumer have is in the court of law to fight against
the malpractices of the business firms or seller.
Consumer Rights
Right to Safety: This is the first and the most important of the
Consumer Rights. They should be protected against the product that
hampers their safety. The protection must be against any product which
could be hazardous to their health – Mental, Physical or many of the
other factors.
Right to Information: They should be informed about the product.
The product packaging should list the details which should be informed
to the consumer and they should not hide the same or provide false
information.
Right to Choose: They should not be forced to select the product. A
consumer should be convinced of the product he is about to choose and
should make a decision by himself. This also means consumer should
have a variety of articles to choose from. Monopolistic practices are not
legal.
Right to Heard: If a consumer is dissatisfied with the product purchased
then they have all the right to file a complaint against it. And the said
complaint cannot go unheard, it must be addressed in an appropriate
time frame.
Right to Seek Redressal: In case a product is unable to satisfy the
consumer then they have the right to get the product replaced,
compensate, return the amount invested in the product. We have a
three-tier system of redressal according to the Consumer Protection Act
1986.
Right to Consumer Education: Consumer has the right to know all the
information and should be made well aware of the rights and
responsibilities of the government. Lack of Consumer awareness is the
most important problem our government must solve.
Responsibilities of a Consumer
The consumer has a certain responsibility to carry as an aware
consumer can bring changes in the society and would help other
consumers to fight the unfair practice or be aware of it.
They should be aware of their rights under the Consumer
Protection Act and should practice the same in case of need.
They should be well aware of the product they are buying.
Should act as a cautious consumer while purchasing the
product.
If in case a product is found of anything false or not
satisfactory a complaint should be filed.
The consumer should ask for a Cash Memo while making a
purchase.
A customer should check for the standard marks that have
been introduced for the authenticity of the quality of the
product like ISI or Hallmark etc.
What Is the Meaning of Consumer Awareness?
Consumer Awareness is the process of making the consumer of
goods and services aware of his rights. It involves educating a
consumer about safety, information and the redressal options
available to him.
As previously discussed consumer awareness is one of the most
persistent problems the government faces when it comes to consumer
protection. To resolve this problem the government has come up with
various methods over the years. In fact, it is the main aim of the
Department of Consumer Affairs.
Consumer Awareness in India
One of the most important and successful Consumer Awareness
campaign in recent times has been the “Jago Grahak Jago” campaign.
You must have certainly come across it. It is a great example of
successful consumer awareness.
