National Consumer Day 2020: Significance, objectives and rights of consumers

As India observes the National Consumer’s Rights Day on December 24 that aims to create awareness about the rights and responsibilities of consumers under the Consumer Protection Act passed in 1986, here are some key facts that consumers must know to ensure protection, right to safety, and right to be informed while purchasing good and services. 

A ‘consumer’ under the adopted Act

A consumer is recognized by the law as someone who acquires goods or services for direct use or ownership rather than for resale or use in production and manufacturing. While for centuries, the consumers were left without any rights, India’s Consumer Protection Division implemented the Consumer Protection Act in 1986 and Consumer Protection in 1987 to protect the ‘interests’ of the consumers and their grievances after the sale of the goods and services from the buyers. It was December 24 when the government framed policies to safeguard the rights of the consumers.

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Objective and Significance

The government formed the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, apex consumer courts and appointed members to NCDRC, and formed the Consumer Protection Division. Under the new protection mechanism to protect the rights of the consumers, the government also launched several schemes to curb the trade follies, market abuse, seller’s exploitation, and injustices towards the consumers. The Act also ensures legal protection to the customers against malicious business practices and the sale of defective goods and services by legally addressing the products’ liability. Grieved consumers could report negligence in case they made a purchase of the product which is unsatisfactory. And hence, on December 24, 1986, Consumer Protection Act 1986 was approved by the President of India aimed at safeguarding India’s consumers.

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Consumers’ Rights: Know your rights.

There are at least 8 rights that the consumers are bestowed under the Consumer Protection Act of 1986. This also includes six international consumer rights listed by the UN Charter to ensure fair treatment of the consumer and settlement of disputes at the consumer courts for the aggrieved consumers. 

• Right to Safety: Protects consumers against the marketing of goods and services, which are hazardous to life and property.
• Right to be Informed: Ensures that the consumer is informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard, and price of goods to protect him against malicious trade practices. 
• Right to Choose: Ensures consumers’ access to a variety of goods and services at a competitive price. Incase of monopolies, the act safeguards the right to satisfactory quality and services at a fair price.
• Right to be Heard: In case of disputes, the consumer's interests will be given due consideration by the government and the consumer's welfare will be the priority. 
• Right to Seek redressal: Consumers’ right to complaint incase of grievances arising due to unscrupulous exploitation and unfair practice. 
• Right to Consumer Education: This right needs to uphold in the rural areas where customers are exploited due to negligence. Consumers have a right to dispute in case they aren’t adequately informed, manipulated or are given wrong information about the product. 

[Credit: Pixabay/Representative Image]

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