The Consumer Protection Act, implemented in 1986, gives easy and fast compensation to consumer grievances. It safeguards and encourages consumers to speak against insufficiency and flaws in goods and services. If traders and manufacturers practice any illegal trade, this act protects their rights as a consumer. The primary motivation of this forum is to bestow aid to both the parties and eliminate lengthy lawsuits.
Six Consumer Rights: Everyone should be aware of Right to Safety
Right to safety is a basic right that helps consumers to be protected against the marketing of such goods and services which are hazardous to life and property. Consumption of goods or services which are not up to the mark can have adverse effects on the consumer’s health and safety. In order to protect the consumer’s interest, they have a right to receive high- quality and reliable goods.
Right to Be Informed
The consumer has a right to receive information about the quality, quantity, potency, standard, and price of the goods or services. This will not merely help him to make well- informed and thought decisions but also prevent himself from falling prey to high-pressure selling techniques. The right to information is used to shield consumers from deceptive advertising, misleading labels and packaging, high prices, etc.
Right to Choose
Right to safety is a basic right that helps consumers to be protected against the marketing of such goods and services which are hazardous to life and property. Consumption of goods or services which are not up to the mark can have adverse effects on the consumer’s health and safety. In order to protect the consumer’s interest, they have a right to receive high- quality and reliable goods.
Right to Be Informed
The consumer has a right to receive information about the quality, quantity, potency, standard, and price of the goods or services. This will not merely help him to make well- informed and thought decisions but also prevent himself from falling prey to high-pressure selling techniques. The right to information is used to shield consumers from deceptive advertising, misleading labels and packaging, high prices, etc.
Right to Choose
These right permits consumers to choose among a wide variety of goods and services without being forced to do so. In case of monopolies, the right to be assured of satisfactory goods and services at fair and reasonably priced. It also includes the right to basic goods and services. The right to choose can be better employed in a competitive market where a wide range of goods and services are available at a competitive price.
Right to Be Heard
The above three rights are useless if there is no proper authority to listen to customer grievances. If a buyer is dissatisfied with the product or service, then one has the right to file a complaint against it in a consumer court and it has to be addressed within a set time frame. For instance, if a consumer buys an electronic Item and it starts malfunctioning, a consumer has all rights to take appropriate action by returning or replacing it.
Right to Seek Redressal
These right states that if a consumer is not satisfied with a particular purchase, he has the right to get the product replaced, or even he can demand a refund for the product. The consumer may even ask for compensation in case a product or service causes severe harm to them.
Right to Customer Education
A consumer must be aware of his rights and responsibilities provided by the authorities regarding marketing practices. The consumer has all the authority to gain knowledge about his rights as a buyer. Lack of Consumer awareness is the most important issue our government should pay heed to resolve.