Our Rights as Consumers ...

All of us are consumers. We buy commodities for our consumption and also for our daily living in varieties of ways. But in many ways and on many occasions we are exploited by the sellers, traders, manufacturers and service providers without our knowledge. However, we do not take actions even when we know that we are exploited. Here are some tips for us to protect ourselves as consumers and also help people who may be exploited to get their rights. There are many ways through which we as a consumer can be protected against such unfair trade practices. The business firms themselves can take the initiative of providing good quality products and services at reasonable price, adopt just and fair trade practices. Consumer associations and organisations can be formed to present a collective platform to address their grievances. The Government can adopt and enforce legislative measures for the protection of consumers and safeguard their interest.
Consumers’ awareness is one of the effective means of protection against exploitation and unfair trade practices. It is not easy to exploit educated and well aware consumers, so let us become aware of our consumer rights and try to follow the instructions for our safety. Some of the important rights of consumers are as follows:

1.    Right to safety: Consumers have the right to be protected against the marketing of goods which are hazardous to life, health and property. Consumers are entitled to healthy and safe products.  This right needs each product which is potentially dangerous to our lives to be marketed after adequate and complete verification as well as validation.

2.    Right to Information: The right to information refers to the right of the consumers to be informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods or services, as the case may be so as to protect the consumer against unfair trade practices. It implies that all the consumable products be labelled in a standard manner containing the cost, quantity, ingredients and instructions on how to use the product safely. In case of pharmaceutical products, it requires to disclose the potential side effects related to the drugs. The right to information gives the power to the consumers to have an easy access to information which is necessary for the consumer.

3.    Right to choose: As per the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, right to choose implies ‘the right to be assured, wherever possible, to have access to a variety of goods and services at competitive prices’. Free competition and wide variety enable consumers to choose the best goods according to their choice and interest.

4.    Right to be heard: Consumers need to be assured that their interests will be given due considerations at appropriate forums. This right helps to empower the consumers for putting forward their complaints and concerns fearlessly and raise their voice against products or service providers and ensure that their issues are taken into consideration as well as handled expeditiously at various forums for the well-being of the consumers.

5.    Right to education: Consumers have the right to be made aware of their rights and remedies available to them for redressal of their grievances. This right makes sure that the consumers have informational programs and materials which are easily accessible that would enable them to make purchasing decisions better. Consumer education can be provided through college and school curriculums as well as consumer awareness campaigns being run by non- governmental and governmental agencies.

6.    Right to redressal: Consumer has every right to redress their grievances against unfair trade practices and exploitation by unscrupulous elements. Towards this right, consumer courts like District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forums at district level, State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions and National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions have been set up.

The following remedies are available to consumers if there is any infringement of their rights
(i)    If after proper testing, the product proves to be defective, then the defects in the product can be removed.
(ii) When the defects in the product cannot be removed then the defective product can be replaced by a new non-defective product of the same type.
(iii) Instead of removing the defects and replacement of defective product, the seller can be made to refund the price paid by the complainant for the product.
(iv) If because of the negligence of the seller, a consumer suffers physical or any other loss, then compensation for that loss can be provided.
(v) If there is any deficiency in delivery of service, then the service provider can be made to remove that deficiency.
(vi) If a complaint is filed against unfair/restrictive trade practice, then that practice can be banned with immediate effect.
(vii) Products which can prove hazardous for life, their sale can be stopped.
(viii) On seeing the serious adverse effects of hazardous goods on the consumers, such goods can be withdrawn from the market.
(ix) Under the provision of the Consumer Protection Act, the trader can be made to pay adequate cost to the victim concerned.

The efforts made by government or non-governmental organisations to protect the interest of consumers can be efficient and effective only when the consumers are aware of their rights and exercise them whenever required. Don’t let your rights be violated. Get the best commodities of your choice and enjoy a healthy protected life.