Question-1
What is Consumer Exploitation?
Solution:
Supplying goods having underweight and under measurement, sub – standard quality, duplicate articles, adulteration, impurity, unsafe articles, false information, unsatisfactory after sale service and high prices is termed as consumer exploitation.
Question-2
What is the need for Consumer Awareness?
Solution:
Consumer awareness is needed to protect the consumers from the exploitation. If safe guards their interests. It removes their ignorance, unawareness and illiteracy about the goods consumer awareness provides the consumer the knowledge of their rights where can be claimed to redress grievances.
Question-3
When is the world consumer rights day celebrated?
Solution:
“World Consumers Rights Day” is celebrated on March 15 every year.
Question-4
Why was consumer Protection Act 1986 exacted?
Solution:
Consumer Protection Act, 1986 was exacted to safe guard the interests of consumer.
Question-5
Where should the consumers go to get justice ?
Solution:
Consumer can go to the District Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission, State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission or the National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission, to get justice.
Question-6
Many consumers who are exploited do not seek redressal. Why?
Solution:
Consumer do not seek redressal becoming the process is cumbersome, expensive and time consuming.
A Redressal case requires …
(a) engaging a lawyer.
(b) filing and attending the court proceedings.
(c) the non availability of cash memos as cash memos are not issued for most purchases.
(d) evidence is not easy to gather.
(e) most purchases in the market are small retail sales.
(f) the existing laws also are not very clear on the issue of compensation to consumers.
(g) injured by defective products.
Question-7
What do we mean by consumer rights?
Solution:
A consumer is a person who buys a product, he is also called the end user.
When a product is sold there are certain rules and regulations the maker and the seller have to follow. These rule and regulations are not followed in several cases. When these rules are not followed the consumer has a right to fight for justice. This is called Consumer rights.
Question-8
How does exploitation in marketplace take place?
Solution:
Exploitation in the marketplace happens in various ways.
1. Traders indulge in unfair trade practices.
2. Shopkeepers weigh less than what they should.
3. Traders add charges that were not mentioned in the product.
4. Adulterated/defective goods are sold.
Question-9
What are the difficulties a consumer faces when he wants to seek redressal against unfair trade practices and exploitation
Solution:
The consumer redressal process is cumbersome, expensive and time consuming.
The redressal process requires the following
engaging a lawyer filing and attending the court proceedings cash memos evidence, if the customer is injured by defective products.
Engaging a lawyer is costly and court proceedings take time. Another problem the consumer faces is the non availability of cash memos as cash memos are not issued for most purchases. Evidence is also not easy to gather as most purchases in the market are small retail sales. More over, the existing laws also are not very clear on the issue of compensation to consumers.
Question-10
Write a brief note the Bureau of Indian Standards.
Solution:
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification marks scheme was also introduced by the government of India.
ISI and Agmark seals were made compulsory for many products.
These logos or seals and certification help consumers get assured of quality while purchasing the goods and services. The Bureau of Indian Standards monitors and issue these certificates to producers to use their logos provided they follow certain quality standards.
It is mandatory on the part of the producers of LPG cylinders, food colours and additives, cement, packaged drinking water, to get certified by organisation.
“Agmark” seal is mandatory for certain food articles such as edible oils, spices and honey.
Question-11
What are consumer forums?
Solution:
The consumer movement in India has led to the formation of various organisations locally known as consumer forums or consumer protection councils. They guide consumers on how to file cases in the consumer court and exercise their right to represent their case or grievance in the consumer courts.
On many occasions, these consumer forums also represent individual consumers in the consumer courts. These voluntary organisations also receive financial support from the government for creating awareness among the people.
Question-12
What the information a consumer has a right to know when he is buying a product?
Solution:
The information a consumer has a right to know when he is buying a product are:-
1. Details about ingredients used
2. Price
3. Batch number
4. Date of manufacture
5. Expiry date
6. Address of the manufacturer.
7. Directions for proper use
8. Information relating to side effects (if it is medicine)
9. Instructions for washing (if it is garments)
This is necessary for the consumer can then complain and ask for compensation or replacement if the product proves to be defective in any manner and not according the information provided on the product.
Question-13
What is Consumer Rights?
Solution:
A consumer is a person who buys a product; he is also called the end user. The consumer has a lot of rights that he can demand when he is buying a product. Let us see what rights a consumer can demand.
When a product is sold there are certain rules and regulations the maker and the seller have to follow. These rule and regulations are not followed in several cases. When these rules are not followed the consumer has a right to fight for justice. This is called Consumer rights.
