Educative Information on Consumer Protection Shared by Asst. Prof Palash Khanna

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 The phrase "customer was requested to beware" has been replaced by "let seller beware" as a result of new policies, laws, and consumer protection measures as well as increasing market competition.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.