Question

Explain the role of consumer organisations and NGOs in protecting and promoting consumer’s interest.

Answer 1

Consumer Organisations and NGOs perform several functions to protect and promote consumer interests. These include:-

1. Educating the general public about consumer rights by organising workshops, seminars, and other training programs.
2. Publishing periodicals and other publications to impart knowledge about consumer problems, legal reporting, reliefs available, and other matters of interest.
3. Carrying out comparative testing of consumer products in accredited laboratories to test relative qualities of competing brands and publishing the same for consumer benefit.
4. Encouraging consumers to protest and take legal action against exploitative, unscrupulous, and unfair trade practices of business organisations.
5. Providing assistance to the consumer seeking legal remedy.
6. Filing complaints in the appropriate consumer courts on behalf of the consumer.
7. Taking the initiative in filing cases in consumer forums in the interest of the general public.