What is a Consumer?

A consumer is one that buys good for consumption and not for resale or commercial purpose. The consumer is
an individual who pays some amount of money or the thing required to consume goods and services. As such,
consumers play a vital role in the economic system of a nation. Without consumer demand, producers would
lack one of the key motivations to produce: to sell to consumers. The consumer also forms part of the chain of
distribution.

Consumer Expolitation
Consumer exploitation refers to taking undue advantage of consumers or a group of consumers by the sellers
for their own benefit or purpose. Since consumers are large in numbers and are segregated they often find
themselves in a weak position especially when there is a complaint regarding a good or a service. Sellers never
accept the responsibility of selling bad quality goods or any other misappropriation. This is the basis of
consumer exploitation. There are various forms through which consumers are being exploited. Some of them
are underweighing of goods, poor quality goods, duplicate articles, high prices, artificial scarc city, adulteration
and impurity, false claims, lack of safety devices, poor after sale services, rude behaviour and undue
conditions, non-fulfillment of the sales guarantees, misinformation regarding quality of the product and no
timely supply of the goods. Some consumers especially of rural areas, who are illiterate and lack information,
get exploited easily. The other reasons for consumer exploitation are ignorance, superstitions, social factors,
shortage of goods and service, etc. Sellers indulge in unfair trade practices like black marketing, artificial high
pricing, adulteration, hoarding, etc., to earn high profits. All these practices end up to consumer exploitation.

Sources of Consumer Exploitation

Consumer exploitation is a type of exploitation in which the consumers are exploited or cheated by the
business community in terms of poor quality of product, underweight, under-measurement, duplicate articles
etc

Some of the common ways by which the consumers are exploited by the business community are as follows:

1. Underweight and under-measurement

2. Sub-standard quality
3. High prices
4. Duplicate articles
5. Adulteration and impurity
6. Lack of safety devices
7. Artificial scarcity
8. False and incomplete information
9. Unsatisfactory after sale services
10. Rough behavior
Consumer Rights
RIGHT TO SAFETY
Ac c o rd in g to th e C o n s u me r P ro te c t io n Ac t 1 9 8 6 , th e c o n s u m e r r ig h t i s re fe r re d to a s ‘ rig h t
t o b e p ro t e c t e d a g a in s t m a rk e t in g o f g o o d s a n d s e r v ic e s w h ic h a re h a z a rd o u s t o li fe a n d
p ro p e rt y’ . I t i s a p p l ic a b l e to s p e c i f ic a re a s li k e h e a l th c a re , p h a rma c e u t ic a l s a n d fo o d
p ro c e s s in g , th is r ig h t is s p re a d a c ro s s t h e d o m a in h a v in g a s e r io u s e f fe c t o n t h e h e a l th o f
t h e c o n s u me rs o rth e i r w e l l b e in g v i z . Au t o mo b i le s , H o u s in g , D o me s t ic Ap p l ia n c e s , T ra v e l
e tc . Wh e n th e re is vi o la t io n o f th e r ig h t t h e n th e r e o c c u r me d ic a l ma lp ra c t ic e la w s u i ts in
t h e c o u n t r y. I t is e s t i ma te d e v e r y ye a r th a t th o u s a n d s o r m il l i o n s o f c it i z e n s o f I n d ia a re
k i l le d o r s e r io u s l y i n ju re d b y i m mo r a l p r a c t ic e s b y d o c to r s , h o s p i ta ls , p h a rm a c i e s a n d th e
a u to mo b i l e in d u s t r y. S t i l l th e g o v e rn me n t o f In d ia , k n ow n fo r i ts c a l lo u s n e s s , d o e s n o t
s u c c e e d in a c k n o w le d g in g th is fa c t o r m a k in g a fe e b le e f fo rt fo r ma in ta in in g s ta t is t ic s o f
t h e m is h a p s .T h e Go v e rn me n t o f In d ia n e e d s to h a ve w o rld c la s s p r o d u c t te s t in g fa c i l i ti e s
t o t e s t d ru g s , fo o d , c a rs o r a n y o th e r c o n s u ma b le p ro d u c t t h a t c a n p ro ve to b e a m e n a c e
t o li fe . I t d o e s n o t h a p p e n c o in c id e n t l y t h a t T a ta N a n o is s o l d in In d ia fo r h a l f o f w h a t i t
c o s t s in a c o u n t r y w h ic h is in d u s tr i a l ly d e v e lo p e d , th is is a c l a s s ic c a s e o f r e q u i re me n t o f
a c h e a p p ro d u c t th a t o u tw e ig h s th e n e e d fo r s a f e t y o f fa mi ly a n d s e lf . T h e d e ve l o p e d
c o u n t r ie s l ik e th e U n i te d S ta t e s h a v e s ta lw a rt a g e n c ie s w h ic h o v e r s e e th e p ro te c t io n o f
c o n s u me r p ro d u c ts , t h e F o o d a n d D r u g Ad m i n is t ra t io n (F D A) f o r fo o d a n d d ru g s , th e
N a t io n a l H ig hw a y T ra f f ic S a fe t y Ad m in is t ra ti o n (N H T S A) f o r a u to mo b i le s a n d th e C o n s u me r
P ro d u c t S a f e t y C o mm i s s io n (C P S C ) fo r v a r io u s o th e r c o n s u m e r p ro d u c ts e tc . T h is r ig h t
n e e d s e a c h p ro d u c t w h i c h c a n p o te n t ia l l y b e a d a n g e r to o u r l i v e s to b e ma rk e t e d a f te r
a d e q u a te a n d c o m p le te v e r i f ic a t io n a s w e l l a s va l id a t io n . In d ia is 5 0 ye a rs a w a y, f o r
e mp ow e r in g th is rig h t a d e q u a te l y a n d c o mp l e t e l y.

RIGHT TO INFORMATION
T h e r ig h t to in fo r ma t i o n i s d e f in e d a s ‘ th e r ig h t to b e in fo rm e d a b o u t th e q u a l it y, q u a n t it y,
p o te n c y, p u r i t y, s ta n d a rd a n d p r ic e o f g o o d s o r s e r v ic e s , a s th e c a s e ma y b e s o a s to
p ro t e c t th e c o n s u me r a g a in s t u n fa i r t ra d e p ra c t ic e s ’ in th e C o n s u me r P ro te c t io n Ac t o f
1 9 8 6 . In th e ma rk e t p la c e o f In d ia , c o n s u m e r s g e t in fo rma t io n b y tw o w a ys n a me l y
a d v e r t is in g a n d w o rd o f mo u th h ow e ve r t h e s e s o u r c e s a re c o n s i d e r e d to b e u n r e l ia b le b u t
s t i l l th is w o rd o f mo u th is q u it e c o m mo n h e re .B e c a u s e o f t h is , th e I n d i a n c o n s u me rs
h a rd l y h a v e p r e c is e a n d c o mp le te in f o rm a t io n fo r a s s e s s in g th e tru e v a lu e , s a fe t y,
s u i ta b i l i t y, r e l i a b il i ty o f a n y p ro d u c t . U s u a l l y t h e h id d e n c o s ts c a n b e f o u n d , la c k o f
s u i ta b i l i t y, q u a l it y p ro b le m s a n d s a fe ty h a z a rd s o n l y a f te r t h e p u rc h a s e o f th e p ro d u c t .
T h e re is a n o th e r r ig h t c la im e d b y I n d ia n g o v e rn me n t o n p a p e r , th i s r ig h t mu s t i d e a l l y m a k e
s u re th a t a l l c o n s u m a b le p ro d u c t s h a ve b e e n la b e le d in a s ta n d a rd ma n n e r c o n ta in in g th e
c o s t , q u a n t i t y, t h e in g re d ie n ts a n d in s tr u c t io n s g i ve n to u s e th e p ro d u c t s a fe l y. I t is
u n fo r tu n a te th a t e v e n th e m e d ic in e s in t h e c o u n t r y d o n o t f o l low a s t a n d a rd i z e d la b e lin g
c o n v e n ti o n . T h e r e s h o u ld b e e s t a b li s h m e n t o f u n i t p r ic e p u b l is h in g s ta n d a rd s f o r
c o n s u me r ma rk e t w h e re c o s t s a r e re v e a le d in s ta n d a rd u n it s l ik e p e r k g o r p e r l i t e r . T h e
c o n s u me rs , o u g h t to b e in fo r me d in a n e x a c t ye t a c c u ra te m a n n e r fo r th e c o s t i n vo l v e d
d u r i n g t i me o f a va i li n g a lo a n . F o r p ro v i d in g b e n e f i t to th e s o c i e t y t h ro u g h th is r ig h t ,
a d v e r t is e rs mu s t b e h e ld a g a in s t th e a n d a rd s o f p ro d u c ts in th e a d v e r t is e me n ts . T h e
p h a rm a c e u t ic a ls re q u i re t o d i s c lo s e p o te n t ia l s id e e f fe c ts re la te d to th e ir d ru g s a n d
m a n u f a c tu r e rs o u g h t to b e re q u i re d to p u b l is h re p o rt s f ro m i n d e p e n d e n t p ro d u c t t e s tin g
laboratories for the purpose of comparing the quality of their products from competitive
p ro d u c ts .

T h e re is a w e b s i te : C o n s u me rd a d d y. c o m , fo r th e p u rp o s e o f e mp o w e r in g t h e c o n s u me rs
w ith r ig h t to in fo rma t i o n . W ith o u t h e lp o f th e s e t yp e s o f w eb s i te s i t is d i ff ic u l t t o s p re a d
a w a re n e s s a mo n g th e c o n s u me rs o f In d ia . T h e r ig h t to in fo rma t io n g i ve s th e p o w e r to th e
c o n s u me rs to h a ve a n e a s y a c c e s s to in fo r ma t io n w h ic h i s n e c e s s a r y f o r th e c o n s u me r .

RIGHT TO CHOOSE
T h e d e f in i t io n o f R ig h t to C h o o s e a s p e r th e C o n s u me r P ro t e c t io n Ac t 1 9 8 6 i s ‘t h e rig h t to
b e a s s u re d , w h e r e ve r p o s s ib le , to h a v e a c c e s s to a v a r ie t y o f g o o d s a n d s e r v ic e s a t
c o mp e t it i v e p r ic e s ’ . F o r re g u l a t in g th e m a r k e t p l a c e , th e re i s ju s t o n e fa c to r re q u i re d a n d
t h a t is c o mp e t i t io n . T h e e x is t e n c e o f c a r t e ls , o l ig o p o l i e s a n d mo n o p o l i e s p ro v e t o b e
c o u n te rp ro d u c t i ve to c o n s u me r is m . T h e n a tu ra l r e s o u r c e s , l i q u o r in d u s t r y,
t e le c o mmu n ic a t io n s , a i rl in e s e tc a l l a re b e in g c o n t ro l le d b y a m a f i a to s o me o r t h e o th e r
e x te n t .S in c e th e In d i a n c o n s u me rs c o me f ro m a s o c i a li s t i c b a c k g ro u n d , th e to le ra t in g o f
mo n o p o l i s t ic ma rk e t i s fo u n d in th e i r b lo o d . I t i s s e ld o m s e e n th a t p e o p le w a n t t o sw i tc h
t h e p o w e r c o mp a n y, i n th e t i me s w h e n th e y h a ve a b la c k o u t a t h o me . I t is in te r e s t in g to
k n o w th a t e ve n mi c ro m a rk e t s l i k e f i s h v e n d o rs in s o me c i ti e s a re k n ow n to c o l l u d e a n d
d is c o u ra g e th e c o n s u me rs ’ b a rg a in in g p o w e r .N o ma tt e r w ha t s iz e o r fo r m , o r s p a n , b u t
c o l lu s io n o f va r io u s c o mp a n ie s w h i c h s e l l a s i m il a r k in d o f p ro d u c t is u n e th ic a l o r s a y
l e s s l e g a l . It c a n b e e s t im a t e d th a t In d ia h a s to s t r id e fo r a b o u t 2 0 mo re ye a rs f o r
e mp ow e r in g i ts c i t iz e n s f u l l y i n th is re g a rd .

RIGHT TO BE HEARD
As s t a te d in th e C o n s u me r P ro te c t io n Ac t 1 9 8 6 , ‘ th e r ig h t t o b e h e a rd a n d to b e a s s u re d
t h a t c o n s u me r’ s in te re s ts w i l l re c e i ve d u e c o n s id e ra ti o n a t a p p ro p r ia te fo ru ms ’ is th e
d e f in i tio n o f th e r ig h t to b e h e a rd . T h i s r ig h t h e lp s to e mp o w e r th e c o n s u m e rs o f In d ia fo r
p u t tin g fo rw a rd th e ir c o mp la in ts a n d c o n c e rn s fe a r le s s l y a n d ra is in g th e ir v o ic e a g a in s t
p ro d u c ts o r e ve n c o mp a n ie s a n d e n s u r e t h a t th e i r is s u e s a re ta k e n in to c o n s id e ra t io n a s
w e l l a s h a n d le d e x p e d i t io u s l y. H o w e ve r, t i l l d a te th e In d ia n G o ve rn me n t h a s n o t fo rm e d
e v e n o n e o u t le t fo r h e a r in g th e c o n s u me rs o r th e ir is s u e s to b e s o r te d o u t .T h e r e a re a
n u mb e r o f w e b s i te s s t ri v i n g to d o th is . T h e ma jo r o b j e c ti v e o f C o n s u me r is to e n s u re th a t
t h e i r v o ic e s a re h e a r d b y t h e c o rp o r a t e w o rld . T h e re is a w eb s i te , C o n s u m e rd a d d y. c o m ,
w h e re c o n s u me rs c a n u p lo a d th e i r c r it ic is ms a s w e l l a s f i le c o mp la in ts . E ve r y c r it i c i s m
f i l e d g r a d u a l l y l e s s e n s th e o v e ra l l s c o re o f th e p ro d u c t w h ic h is b e in g c r i t ic iz e d th e re fo re
e a c h c o mp l a in t is in d e p e n d e n t l y c h e c k e d b y a n in v e s t ig a to r w h o b e lo n g e d to
C o n s u me rd a d d y. c o m w e b s i te . T h is w eb s i te p ro v id e s th e c o n s u me rs th e b e n e fi t o f d o u b t
a lw a ys , s o th e i r vo ic e i s c o n s id e re d o ve r th a t o f th e c o mp a n y. I t i s b e l ie v e d a t
c o n s u me rd a d d y. c o m , th a t c o n s u me r i s a lw a ys r ig h t , a n d th a t h e is th e k in g . In c a s e a
c o n s u me r ma k e s a n a l le g a t io n re g a rd in g th e p ro d u c t, th e o n u s g o e s to th e d e a l e r ,
o rs u p p l yi n g c o mp a n y o r ma n u fa c tu re r t o d is p ro ve th a t a l le g a t io n is n o t tru e .T o b e p re c is e ,
t h e c o n s u me r is h e a rd , a n d th e lo a d o f p ro o f g o e s to th e c o mp a n y. V a r io u s a tte mp t s a r e
m a d e b y t h e g o ve rn m e n t fo r e mp o w e r in g th e c i t iz e n s w i th th is r ig h t , a n d i t is b e l ie v e d th a t
a b o u t 1 0 -1 5 ye a rs mo re a re re q u i re d fo r th e a c c o mp li s h me n t o f th is g o a l.

RIGHT TO REDRESSAL
The right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices or restrictive trade practices or
u n s c ru p u l o u s e x p lo i t a ti o n o f c o n s u me rs ’ is re fe rre d to a s th e r ig h t to re d re s s a l a c c o rd in g
t o th e C o n s u me r P ro te c t io n Ac t 1 9 8 6 .

T h e g o v e rn me n t o f In d ia h a s b e e n b i t mo re s u c c e s s fu l w ith r e g a rd to th is r ig h t. T h e
C o n s u me r c o u r ts l ik e D is t r ic t C o n s u me r D i s p u te s R e d re s s a l F o ru m s a t d i s t r ic t le v e l , S ta te
C o n s u me r D is p u te s R e d re s s a l C o mm is s i o n s a n d N a t io n a l C o n s u me r D is p u t e s Re d re s s a l
C o m mi s s io n s h a v e b e e n in c o rp o ra te d w ith th e h e lp o f th e c o n s u me r p ro te c t io n a c t . T h e s e
c o n s u me r g r i e va n c e re d re s s a l a g e n c ie s h a v e fid u c ia r y a s w e l l a s g e o g ra p h ic a l
j u ri s d ic t io n s w h i c h a d d re s s c o n s u me r c a s e s b e tw e e n b u s in e s s e s a n d c o n s u me rs . Ab o u t 2 0
l a k h s C o n s u me r c a s e s a re h e a rd in th e d is tr i c t c o n s u me r fo ru m , a n d a ro u n d o n e c ro re c a n
b e h e a rd in th e s ta te c o n s u me r c o u r t w h i le mo re th a n o n e c ro re c a s e s a re h e a r d a t
n a t io n a l c o n s u me r c o u r t . I t h a s b e e n fo u n d th a t if o n e b e c o m e s g u a rd ia n o f c o n s u me r
p ro t e c t io n o r c o n s u m e r r ig h ts in th e c o u n tr y t h e s e c o u r ts to d a y a r e fo u n d to b e in e f fe c t i ve
b e c a u s e o f b u re a u c r a t ic s a b o ta g e s , c lo g g e d c a s e s , c a l lo u s n e s s o f g o v e rn me n t a n d
d e c a d e n t in f ra s t ru c t u r e . On l y s o me o f th e d is t r ic t fo ru m s h a v e a p p o in te d o ff ic ia ls fo r t i me
b e in g a n d ma jo ri t y o f th e m a re n o n - fu n c t io n a l b e c a u s e o f fu n d in g a n d in fr a s tru c tu re
c o n s t ra in ts . T h e re a r e a ro u n d 2 0 -3 0 m i lli o n o p e n c a s e s in In d ia w h ic h re ma in u n s o l v e d a n d
w o u ld t a k e a ro u n d 3 2 0 ye a rs to w in d u p . H a v in g s u c h t yp e o f c o mp ro m is e d le g a l s ys t e m
t h e c o n s u me r c a s e s f o r m j u s t c i v i l l i t ig a t io n s a n d a re c a r r ie d fo rw a rd to th e b o tt o m o f th e
p r io r i t y l i s t . I t is e s t i ma te d th a t In d ia is 1 0 ye a rs a w a y in e ff e c t i ve l y e n s u ri n g th e r ig h t to
r e d re s s a l to e v e r y c o n s u me r o f In d ia .

RIGHT TO CONSUMER EDUCATION

T h e r ig h t o f e v e r y I n d ia n c i t iz e n to h a v e e d u c a t io n o n ma t te rs re g a rd in g c o n s u m e r
p ro t e c t io n a s w e l l a s a b o u t h e r /h is r ig h t i s r e g a r d e d a s th e l a s t rig h t p ro v id e d b y t h e
C o n s u me r P ro te c t io n Ac t 1 9 8 6 . T h e r ig h t ma k e s s u re th a t th e c o n s u me rs in th e c o u n t r y
h a v e in fo rm a t io n a l p ro g r a ms a n d ma te ri a ls w h ic h a re e a s i ly a c c e s s ib l e a n d w o u ld e n a b l e
t h e m to m a k e p u rc h a s in g d e c is io n s w h ic h a re b e t te r t h a n b e fo re . C o n s u me r e d u c a t io n
m ig h t re fe r to fo r ma l e d u c a t io n th ro u g h c o l le g e a n d s c h o o l c u rr i c u lu ms a s w e ll a s
c o n s u me r a w a re n e s s c a mp a ig n s b e in g r u n b y n o n -g o ve rn me n ta l a n d g o v e r n me n ta l
a g e n c ie s b o th . C o n s u me r N G Os , h a v in g l it t le e n d o rs e me n t f ro m th e g o ve rn me n t o f In d ia ,
b a s i c a l l y u n d e r ta k e t h e ta s k o f e n s u r in g th e c o n s u me r r ig h t th ro u g h o u t th e c o u n tr y. I n d i a
i s fo u n d to b e 2 0 ye a rs a w a y f ro m g i v in g th is r ig h t th a t g i ve s p o w e r to th e c o m mo n
c o n s u me r .

Consumer Aw areness
Consumer Awareness is an act of making sure the buyer or consumer is aware of the information about products,
goods, services, and consumers rights. Consumer awareness is important so that buyer can take the right decision
and make the right choice. Consumers have the right to information, right to choose, right to safety