Question

We will be discussing Consumer Protection laws in class. Years ago there were no such laws and consumers had to fend for themselves. Discuss how you think these laws have (or maybe have not) helped society and in what ways they should possibly be expanded. It would be helpful to read Chapter 33 prior to completing this post.

Answer 1

1. Protection from Exploitation

Importance of the consumer protection is to safeguard the consumer from exploitation. In the absence of consumer protection, consumers were exploited in many ways e.g. sale of unsafe products, adulteration and hoarding of goods, using wrong weights and measures, charging excessive prices and sale of inferior quality goods, etc. Through various Consumer Protection Acts; business organizations are under pressure to keep away from exploiting consumers.

2. Consumer Education

Importance of consumer protection is to create awareness among consumers about their rights and responsibilities by organizing workshops and seminars and gives them confidence to take legal action against companies who have defaulted.

3. Redressal of Complaints

Importance of Consumer Protection is to present the consumer complaints in appropriate consumer courts and make sure that justice is done to consumers.

4. Bulletins and Periodicals

Importance of consumer protection organization is to issue various journals and periodicals in which wide publicity is given to the unfair trade practices adopted by business organisations so that they are pressured to give fair treatment to consumers.

5. Encouraging Honest Businessmen

Importance of consumer protection is to encourage the honest businessmen. organizations give the credit to the business organizations which aims at consumer satisfaction by publishing favorable reports in their periodical's about them. This helps in building goodwill for such organizations.

6. Connecting Link

Importance of consumer protection is they play connecting link between the consumer. Consumer Protection organizations act as a link between consumers wanting to file complaints on one side and the business organizations that have defaulted on other sides and make sure that justice is done to final consumers.

7. Unity

Consumer Protection aims at bringing unity among consumers to fight collectively against the business organisations which indulge in unfair trade practices. Consumers are encouraged to form co-operative societies so that the focus is on providing services to members rather than earning profit on the cost of customers.

8. Quality life for Consumer

Importance of Consumer Protection is to aim at redressal of consumer complaints in an effective manner but also on giving good-quality life to consumers by business organizations who have defaulted on the other side and make sure that justice is done to final consumers.

9. Ethical Obligations

Importance of consumer protection, Today ethics play a prominent role in business. Business without ethical values is nothing but a criminal activity. Protecting the interests of the consumer includes absence of unfair business practices such as black marketing, profiteering, creating an artificial shortage, using wrong weights and measures, publishing false advertisement, etc. It is necessary for a businessman not to practice such uneven means thereby protect the interest of consumers.

10. Getting Public Support

Importance of consumer protection does not isolate the business. Financial institutions and banks provide finance to business. Government provides support and incentives. Employees contribute their time, skill and labour. Consumers are ready to pay for value. The businessmen can get the best support of all these parties only when it stops exploiting its customers.

To conclude, the importance of Consumer Protection is to safeguard consumers from any kind of exploitation from business organizations and ensuring the position of ‘King of Market’ to consumer.