Definitions [1]
Define Consumerism.
“Consumerism is an attempt to enhance the rights and powers by buyers in relation to sellers”.
Key Points
Key Points: Concept of Consumer
- Consumer uses or enjoys goods or services.
- Must buy or take services against some form of payment.
- Users or beneficiaries with buyer’s permission are also consumers.
- Law covers offline and online transactions, including electronic, teleshopping, direct selling, and multilevel marketing.
- Those taking goods or services for resale or commercial purpose are not consumers under this Act.
Key Points: Concept of Consumer Protection
- Every person is a consumer, so awareness is necessary.
- Consumers face issues like unsafe goods, adulteration, misleading ads, hoarding and black‑marketing.
- Consumer Protection Act 2019 replaced the 1986 Act and gives wider protection.
- Market focus has moved from buyer beware to seller beware.
- Consumer protection helps both consumers and business and is supported by law.
Key Points: Importance of Consumer Protection
- Consumer protection exists to shield consumers from unethical business practices like adulteration, duplicate goods, overcharging, and misleading advertisements.
- Need for protection spans physical safety, information access, CSR, consumer satisfaction, social justice, and business survival.
- Key measures: consumer education, grievance redressal, and consumer associations.
- From consumers' side: ignorance, lack of organisation, and exploitation are central concerns.
- From business's side: long-term interest, responsible use of resources, social responsibility, and avoiding government intervention justify consumer protection.
