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What Is Consumer Awareness? Consumer Rights & Responsibilities

Consumer awareness is knowing your rights and making informed choices about products and services. Learn about its importance, consumer rights, and responsibilities of a consumer.

Mridula Sharma9 Sept, 2024

Consumer Awareness: There are times when a competitive market scenario forces businesses to engage in what we call "malpractices," or practices that benefit the business at the expense of the consumer.

These could be misleading advertisements, such as the brand's promotion calling it a sugar-free snack when it is not truly sugar-free, or even manufacturing a product containing life-threatening ingredients, such as excessive amounts of lead found in Nestlé's Maggi noodles, an international noodles and seasoning brand. Consumers must be aware of their rights in order to protect themselves from such malpractices. This would allow them to protect themselves from any malpractice on the part of the producer or seller.

What is Consumer Awareness?

Consumer awareness is the act of protecting oneself from marketplace exploitation by learning enough about the products and services one consumes and exercising one's consumer rights. As a matter of public welfare, the process of consumer awareness necessitates government intervention. This procedure entails successfully educating a consumer about their rights and responsibilities for the sole purpose of protecting them from potential marketplace exploitation. The emphasis is on making information and redressal options available.

Importance of Consumer Awareness

The following are a few points that emphasize the significance of consumer awareness . It enables a consumer to obtain maximum satisfaction at the lowest possible cost.

Protects consumers in a marketplace from various forms of exploitation perpetrated by producers and sellers.
Prevents a consumer from consuming excessive amounts of harmful products.
Encourages a consumer to save rather than splurge.
As consumers become more aware of redressal mechanisms, they are better able to solve problems with their purchases.
Allows a society to grow in a healthy way.

Consumer Rights

Consumer Awareness have certain rights in a marketplace that prohibit producers and sellers from cheating or exploiting them in any way. The following are some of the rights that a consumer is expected to be aware of at all times when purchasing goods and services:

Right to Safety

The Right to Safety protects consumers from products that have the potential to impede or even cripple their safety. Consumers have the right to be protected from any product that may endanger their mental or physical health. This right guarantees consumers the right to seek justice in the event of injury or harm caused by a product or service. For example, if a defective pressure cooker causes harm or injury to a consumer, the consumer may seek monetary compensation from the manufacturer in a consumer court.

Right to Information

According to the Right to Information, a consumer must be aware of all the details of a product or service. These specifics include the item's quality, quantity, potency, standard, purity, and price. Consumers should be confident in the product or service they choose to purchase, and they should be aware of its specifics. A consumer, for example, should be made aware of the side effects of a specific drug purchased from a pharmacy.

Right to Choose

A consumer should be free to choose whether or not to purchase a product or service of their choice. The consumer is solely responsible for making the decision to purchase a particular product. This right also ensures that a consumer has a variety of products to choose from, as monopolistic practices are illegal. For example, suppose a customer wants to buy a keyboard but the seller states that they can only buy a keyboard if they also buy a mouse. This would be considered an illegal practice because the consumer has the right to purchase only the keyboard and not the mouse.

Right to be Heard

If a consumer is dissatisfied with a product or service that they purchased, they have the right to file a complaint in a consumer court. The complaint should be addressed by the court in a timely manner, and it cannot, in any case, go unheard.

Right to Seek Redress/Have Problems Corrected

If a consumer is dissatisfied with a specific purchase, the consumer has the right to have the product replaced or a refund requested. The consumer may also seek compensation if a product or service causes them harm.

Right to Consumer Education

Consumers have the right to be educated about their rights as buyers in the marketplace. They should have access to all product information and details, as well as the right to be made aware of their rights and responsibilities as a consumer.

Right to Service

The right to service requires that every consumer be treated with the utmost respect in the marketplace. Consumers have the right to expect prompt services that meet a company's standard or quality. This right is granted to everyone, regardless of gender, class, income, age, religion, or race. In the event of any form of discrimination, the consumer has the right to go to court and seek restitution.

Also Read: Concept Of Wealth Welfare And Investments

Responsibilities of a Consumer

As consumer awareness in a marketplace, they, too, have certain responsibilities that they must remember in order to protect themselves from all forms of marketplace exploitation. The following are some responsibilities that consumers should remember when purchasing a product or service:

1. The Responsibility to Be Informed

A consumer must ensure that they are well-informed about the products they are purchasing. For example, if a person intends to purchase food, they should ensure that they understand what it contains and that it is not something that will harm them in any way. If someone pays for a service, they should stay informed about it and have a good idea of what kind of service they can expect.

2. The Responsibility to Choose Carefully

When purchasing shopping products, consumers frequently compare one product or service to another. A consumer must make certain that they select a product that best meets their needs, interests, or desires. A wise shopper will ensure that they are getting the best value for their money. At the same time, one must be responsible for their surroundings. They should also be aware of the availability of resources and make appropriate adjustments.

3. The Responsibility to Use Products Safely

Consumers are expected to ensure that they understand how to use a product and to follow the user instructions that come with it. Consumers should make certain that they follow the instructions provided. For example, if a specific dosage of a drug is recommended, no more than that amount should be consumed.

4. The Responsibility to Speak Out

Consumers are expected to provide adequate feedback to producers and sellers. It is critical to inform a producer or seller of their dissatisfaction with their product or service and to seek a response. This will allow the consumer to exercise their right to seek redress if necessary. Reporting unfair practices on the part of producers and sellers is critical because it raises awareness among other potential customers of the product or service.

5. The Responsibility to Seek a Remedy

If a customer is dissatisfied with a defective product, he or she must contact the manufacturer or seller to obtain a refund or replacement. This is significant because the consumer pays the full price for the product and has the right to get the best value for their money. If the producer or seller refuses to resolve the issue, the consumer must file a complaint with the consumer court.

6. The Responsibility to Learn Consumer Skills

As a consumer, you should ensure that you have all of the necessary consumer skills to be a responsible consumer. These abilities include reading package labels, comparing prices and quality, paying attention to news that reports illegal practices of a specific business or company, reading consumer information publications, staying up to date on products and their usage, and so on. One of the most important aspects of a healthy economy is consumer awareness. It is critical that the consumer understands his legal rights and, if necessary, exercises them, as this has a significant impact on production quality and customer satisfaction. Finally, it is concluded that consumer awareness means being aware of having knowledge about various consumer production laws, rectified techniques, and consumer rights, which include the right to health and safety protection from goods and services that consumers purchase, as well as the right to be informed about the price, quality, quantity, potency, and standard of goods.

Also Check:
Intermediate Goods	Infrastructure
Demonetisation	Difference between Efficiency and Effectiveness
Development Economics	Recession

Consumer Awareness FAQs

What are the advantages of consumer awareness?

Consumer awareness is important in decision making because it promotes customer satisfaction, increases economic stability, and creates realistic expectations. Individual benefits of consumer awareness include improved critical thinking, improved life skills, and increased self-confidence.

Which is an example of consumer awareness?

Consumer awareness is defined as a combination of the following: I Consumers' understanding of the quality of the product they purchased. For example, the consumer should know whether the product is safe for their health, whether it poses any environmental risks, and so on.

Who defends consumer rights?

The government must implement adequate policies, laws, and regulations to protect consumers from harmful business practices. There must also be an effective interaction and coordination among the relevant institutions in charge of implementing consumer protection.

What are the needs of consumer awareness?

Consumer awareness is the act of ensuring that the buyer or consumer is informed about products, goods, services, and consumer rights. Consumer awareness is essential so that buyers can make the best decisions and choices.

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What is Consumer Awareness?

Importance of Consumer Awareness

The following are a few points that emphasize the significance of consumer awareness . It enables a consumer to obtain maximum satisfaction at the lowest possible cost.

Protects consumers in a marketplace from various forms of exploitation perpetrated by producers and sellers.
Prevents a consumer from consuming excessive amounts of harmful products.
Encourages a consumer to save rather than splurge.
As consumers become more aware of redressal mechanisms, they are better able to solve problems with their purchases.
Allows a society to grow in a healthy way.

Consumer Rights

Right to Safety

Right to Information

Right to Choose

Right to be Heard

Right to Seek Redress/Have Problems Corrected

Right to Consumer Education

Right to Service

Also Read: Concept Of Wealth Welfare And Investments

Responsibilities of a Consumer

1. The Responsibility to Be Informed

2. The Responsibility to Choose Carefully

3. The Responsibility to Use Products Safely

4. The Responsibility to Speak Out

5. The Responsibility to Seek a Remedy

6. The Responsibility to Learn Consumer Skills

Also Check:
Intermediate Goods	Infrastructure
Demonetisation	Difference between Efficiency and Effectiveness
Development Economics	Recession