3. What is Consumerism??..
Consumerism is an organized
movement of citizens and government
to strengthen the rights and power of
buyers in relation to sellers.
4. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING??
Low literacy levels and lack of awareness of rights
encourages businessmen to be indifferent to consumers
Backwardness
Ignorance
Lack of education and information
Indian consumers get carried away by clever advertising
Imbalance in demand and supply of commodities leading to
hoarding, black marketing, profiteering.
5. REMEDIES..
• Active participation from the business, Government and
consumers.
• Business must ensure efficiency in production and
quality of output and must refrain from Unfair Trade
Practices
• Government through legislations, statutory bodies etc
prevent exploitation of consumers.
• Consumers should assert their rights and protect
themselves from business malpractices
7. This ACT
is a milestone in the history of
socio-economic legislation in the country.
The first ever legislation in
India of its kind
which solely aimed at the grief striken
consumers who were the victims of the unfair
trade practices and sub standard services
rendered to them.
8. OBJECTIVES
The main objective of the act is to provide
for the better protection of consumers.
The act is intended to provide simple, speedy
and inexpensive redressal to the consumers'
grievances, and relief of a specific nature and
award of compensation wherever appropriate
to the consumer.
9. EXTENT AND COVERGAE OF THE ACT
THE SALIENT FEATURES OF THE ACT ARE SUMMED UP AS UNDER :• THE ACT APPLIES TO ALL GOODS AND SERVICES UNLESS SPECIFICALLY EXEMPTED BY
THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT.
• IT COVERS ALL THE SECTORS WHETHER PRIVATE, PUBLIC OR COOPERATIVE.
• THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT ARE COMPENSATORY IN NATURE.
• THE SETTING UP OF THE DISPUTE REDRESSAL MACHINERY WAS ONLY TO SECURE AND
ENABLE SPEEDY JUSTICE TO THE AGGRIEVED CONSUMERS.
10. As Under section-6 of Consumer Protection
Act, consumer has the following rights:
• Right to safety.
• Right to information.
• Right to choose.
• Right to be heard.
• Right to redressed .
• Right to consumer education.
• Right to healthy environment .
• Right to basic needs.
11. Relief Available To Consumers
Depending on the facts and circumstances, the Redressal Forums may
give order for one or more of the following relief :Removal of defects from the goods
Replacement of the goods
Refund of the price paid
Discontinuance of unfair trade practices or restrictive trade practices
Withdrawal of the hazardous goods from being offered to sale
Award for adequate costs to parties
12. • Right to safety :- right to be protected against the marketing of
goods and services which are hazardous to health, life and property
of the consumer.
• Right to be informed :- right to be provided all those information on
the basis of which consumer decides to buy goods or services about
the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods or
services so as to protect the consumer against unfair trade
practices.
• Right to be heard :- consumer has the right that his complaint be
heard. Under this right the consumer can file complaint against all
those things which prejudicial to his interest. Example- the economic
times
13. Right to choose :- Consumer has the full right to buy good or services of his choice from among
the different goods or services available in the market.
Right to Seek redress :- Right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices unscrupulous
exploitation of consumers. This Act provides compensation to consumer against unfair trade
practice of the seller.
Right to consumer education :- Consumer education refers to educate the consumer constantly
with regards to their rights. In other words, consumers must be aware of the rights they enjoy
against the loss they suffer on account of goods and services purchased by them.
14. Consumer’s Responsibilities
1. Consumer should exercise his right
2. Cautious consumer/ Do not buy blindly
3. Filing complaint for the redressal of genuine grievances
4. Consumer must be quality conscious/Do not compromise on quality
5. Advertisements often exaggerate/Beware of false advertisement
6. Do not forget to get Receipt and Guarantee/warrantee card
7. Do not buy in hurry
