Consumer Protection – Rights and Exploitation

January 17, 2022

A consumer is defined as a person who buys goods and services and makes use of public utilities as well as natural resources like air and water. In its most basic sense, it refers to those who use goods and services for the satisfaction of their wants. Thus, excluding buyers who purchase for manufacturing purposes or resale. Consumers present a striking contrast to purchasing agents of government or any private enterprise. Consumers purchase small quantities of a variety of goods.Nowadays markets have become consumer orientated. The importance of consumers is increasing day by day. With the increase in production, many manufacturers have started using unfair means for selling their products. They cheat consumers in one way or another. In India, many people are still illiterate who can be easily cheated by the manufacturers are traders. Consumer exploitation is more common in rural areas where consumers are less aware of their rights. Consumer education means to educate the consumers about their rights like the right to be informed, right to choose, right to seek re-dressal, etc. Consumer education is an important determinant of consumer protection.Consumer exploitation through unfair business practices is not a new phenomenon. The consumer is the forgotten and the least organized in the modern economy. Adulteration, poor quality, variations in the contents of the pack, use of deceptive or fractional weights, misleading and dishonest advertisements, unfair monopolistic and restrictive trade practices are the ways and means by which the consumer is exploited to the maximum extent possible. In India exploitation of consumers has assumed serious proportions. The ever-increasing population and the need for goods and services on a large scale without a corresponding matching supply have created a situation of near seller’s market. The consumers have very weak bargaining power and therefore cannot exert their rights.Consumers invariably are a vulnerable lot for exploitation, more so with the prevalence of mass poverty and illiteracy in a developing country. India to is not an exception to it. Instances like black marketing, adulteration, overcharging are very rampant that talking about them seems to be platitudinous. From time to time to comment has tried to save cut in trust of the consumers through legislation and the Consumer Protection Act of 1986 is considered as the most progressive statute for consumer protection. Procedural simplicity and speedy and inexpensive consumer literacy provinces as uniquely consist in this act.