Consumer Guidance, Responsibilities and Rights of a Consumer

Consumer Guidance

Consumer education assures an important role in consumer protection. Everyone of us is a consumer and therefore have a right to consumer education which enables us to act as 'informed' consumers throughout our life.

1.     It develops a person's ability to choose goods and services intelligently.

2.     It helps a person to become a discriminate buyer who can distinguish needs from wants.

3.     Provides information about existing laws and standards for the benefit of consumers.

4.     Prepares consumers to demand safe, reliable, quality products and services at fair price.

5.     Make people aware of their rights and responsibilities in society.

Rights of a Consumer

1.     The Right to safety - consumer has the right to be protected against product and services which are injurious to health or life

2.     The Right to be informed - consumer has the right to be given adequate information to buy wisely.

3.     The Right to choose - the consumer has the right to select products of varying qualities, prices, sizes and designs and to choose according to his needs and wants.

4.     The right to be heard - consumer has the right to fight against consumer exploitation in the society.

5.     The right to redressal - the consumer has the right to receive compensation for faulty consumer goods or services

The Right to live in a healthy environment - the consumer has the right to live in a safe protected environment that will enhance the quality of life.

Consumer Responsibilities

1.     A consumer should plan what exactly he wants to purchase.

2.     A consumer should feel free to select from the variety of products according to his needs.

3.     Consumer should make his own buying decisions. He should not get influenced by the seller or advertisements.

4.     Consumer should make efforts to obtain product information at the time of purchase.

5.     Consumer should look for guarantee while purchasing costly items.

6.     Consumer should maintain records of the receipts and other documents for future reference. This is very important especially in the case of durable goods

7.     A consumer should avoid 'Impulse buying'.

8.     Consumer should not encourage black marketing of goods by buying more than what he needs at the time of scarcity of essential commodities.

It is also the responsibility of the consumer not to pollute his environment while disposing off waste material.