India's Consumer Protection
The era of "Caveat Emptor" is over; today
"Customer is King." There is no shortage of vendors that want to
satisfy all customer requests yet cannot risk driving away customers by
providing subpar goods or services. Customers have resources at their disposal,
including forums, courts, and consumer complaints. Let's examine how consumers
are protected in India.
When a customer
brings a sale to a seller, they expect to be treated like royalty. The phrase
"customer was requested to beware" has been replaced by "let
seller beware" as a result of new policies, laws, and consumer protection
measures as well as increasing market competition.
In order to
protect consumers from unfair practices, we must inform them of their rights
and obligations and address any concerns they may have. This approach is known
as "consumer protection."
Why is it important to protect consumers?
There are many
items on the market that are harmful to the consumer's health; adulteration,
false weights, monopolies, and unfair trade practices are just a few of the
problems that must be handled in order to safeguard the consumer.
How can we safeguard consumers?
Consumers should
be informed of their rights and obligations, their complaints should be
addressed, and the court system must deliver justice to them.
I. The Value from the Consumer's Perspective
·
Consumer
Ignorance: When looking at it from the perspective of the consumer, there are a
few elements to consider. Consumer Ignorance is one such issue that needs to be
addressed; consumers should be aware of how to utilize their legal rights and
how to request relief.
·
Unorganized
Customer: We require a Consumer Organization that can bring consumers together
and aid them in finding solutions to their consumer problems.
·
Pervasive
Consumer Exploitation: Consumers are taken advantage of through adulteration,
dishonest business practices, false weight claims, missing or inaccurate
information on product packaging, and deceptive advertising. For instance, many
goods claim to make you slim or fairer, but when used, they do not deliver what
they promise.
II. Business Perspective Importance
Is there a method
that businesses can also benefit from consumer protection, or is it just not
necessary? Let's look at a few of the details that offer us some clarification:
·
Long-Term
Economic Interest: Making a satisfied customer is necessary if one wishes to
grow their customer base over time. A happy customer would spread the news
about the business and bring in more customers.
·
Business
utilizes society's resources: Since most of the resources used by business come
from society, business shouldn't undermine consumer confidence. In response,
businesses consider what the general public wants and produce goods
appropriately.
·
Social
Responsibility: Businesses have responsibilities to the public, the government,
and society. They should act in a way that benefits both parties because doing
so will help the business grow.
·
Moral
justice: Businesses have a moral obligation to society and the consumer, and
they should act in a way that doesn't negatively impact either. Any form of
exploitation, such as adulteration, unjust practices, defective products, and
unfair price and weight, should be avoided.
Government Intervention: To keep the government from interfering in the company, this could be a laborious task. Because of this, companies should create their business practices with the interests of the customer in mind.
