Consumer Rights

This chapter explains why consumers, who are often in a weak position in the marketplace, need rules and regulations to protect them from exploitation such as underweighing, hidden charges, adulteration and false advertising. It traces the rise of the consumer movement in India from the food shortages of the 1960s, the UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection of 1985 and Consumers International, to the enactment of the Consumer Protection Act 1986 (COPRA), amended in 2019. It then explains the six consumer rights - the rights to safety, information, choice, seek redressal, representation and consumer education - each illustrated with a real case, and the Right to Information Act of 2005. It describes the three-tier consumer courts (district, state and national commissions) set up under COPRA and how consumers file and pursue complaints, the role of consumer forums, and the standardisation marks ISI, Agmark and Hallmark. It closes by assessing the progress and limitations of the consumer movement in India and the need for active consumer participation. A high-scoring, awareness-oriented chapter of the Board syllabus.