Taking The Consumer Movement Forward

Overview

• India has been observing 24 December as the National Consumers’ Day.
• It was on this day that the Indian Parliament enactment the Consumer Protection Act in 1986.
• The consumer movement in India has made some progress in terms of a number of organized groups and their activities.
• There are today more than 700 consumer groups in the country of which only about 20-25 are well organized and recognized for their work.
• The consumer redressal process is becoming cumbersome, expensive, and time-consuming.
• Many a time’s consumers are required to hire lawyers. These cases require time for filling and attending the court proceedings.
• In most purchases cash memos are not issued hence evidence is not easy to gather.
• The existing laws also are not very clear on the issue of compensation to consumers injured by defective products.
• It is often said that consumer movements can be effective only with the consumers’ active involvement.