Some common ways by which consumers may be exploited by manufacturers and traders:
Underweight and under-measurement
High prices
It often happens that the traders charge a price higher than the prescribed retail price.
Sub-standard quality
The goods sold are sometimes of sub-standard quality, e.g. selling medicines beyond their date of expiry, selling deficient or defective home appliances.
Duplicate articles
Fake or duplicate items are sold in the name of genuine parts or goods.
Adulteration and impurity
In costly edible items like oil, ghee and spices, adulteration is common in order to earn more profit. This causes heavy loss to the consumers.
Lack of safety devices
Fake or inferior electronic goods, electrical devices or other appliances, produced locally lack the required in-built safety measures. This may cause accidents.
Artificial scarcity
Some unscrupulous businessmen create artificial scarcity by hoarding. They sell their goods for a higher price by creating panic among consumers.
False and incomplete information
It is provided by sellers which can easily mislead consumers.
Unsatisfactory after-sale service
The suppliers do not provide the satisfactory after-sale service despite the necessary payments on items such as electronics, automobiles, etc.
Right to Information Act, 2005
COPRA Act (1986) tries to ensure
- information, safety, redressal, representation and consumer education.
- Under COPRA, a’ three tier quasi-judicial machinery at the district, state and national level helps in solving consumer disputes.
- Consumer Movement with its different organisations helps in exerting pressure on business firms as well as the government to correct their conduct which may be against the interests of the consumers at large.
The topics discussed in this chapter are as follows:
- The Consumer in the Market Place
- Consumer Movement
- Safety is Everyone’s Right
- Information about Goods and Services
- When Choice is Denied
- Where Should Consumers Go to Get Justice?
- Learning to Become Well Informed Consumers
- Taking the Consumer Movement Forward