“Consumer is the king” is an important marketing mantra but this

viewpoint is drastically altered when the consumer is misguided and

cheated by shopkeepers and manufacturers. They both generally try to
escape the responsibility or also try to shift the blame back to the
consumer. Despite legislation to protect the consumer from unfair
practices, the consumer is still at a disadvantage because of lack of
awareness. Therefore, it is necessary to educate consumers about such
malpractices. The aim of consumer education is to provide information
about consumer rights and responsibilities, consumers’ aids and
grievance redressal. In this lesson, the students will be able to:
i. identify a consumer;
ii. Define consumer product, behavior forum, and footfall ;
iii. List the expectations of a consumer ;
iv. Analyse the problems faced by consumers;
v. understand the significance of consumer education;
vi. use consumer aids to their advantage;
vii. exercise their rights and responsibilities as a consumer;
viii. explain the salient features of Consumer Protection Amendment
Act 2011;
ix. understand the scope and career options of consumer education.
BASIC CONCEPTS
CONSUMER
According to Consumer Protection Act “Consumer” has been defined
separately for “goods” and “services”.
- “ One who buys or uses products to satisfy his needs”,
- One who hires or avails any service to satisfy his needs”, e.g., an
individual purchases provisions (products) and uses water (services) to
satisfy his hunger and thirst (needs). Consumers are a heterogeneous
group. Irrespective of age, education, social and economical status,

every individual is a consumer (Fig. 11.1).

Consumer products : any article produced or distributed for sale to

consumers for personal use in home or instititution . In other words,
consumer products are goods that are bought for consumption by the
average consumer.
Consumer behaviour: It is a process through which the buyer makes
decisions about purchasing.( impulsive/informed choice )

Consumer forum: A place or an organisation where consumers can seek

protection and help them address their problems faced regarding
products and services .
Consumer footfalls: This means the number of customers/consumers
who visit any given space such as a store or a mall. Thus with increasing
consumption in a country, consumer footfall increases .
What are the expectations of a consumers? ( flow diagram )
 Genuine
Products

Correct Correct Weights

Information And Measures

Expectations
Of
Ethics In Consumers
Sales Good Quality
/Promotion

Reasonal Price Purity

P RO BL E MS F ACE D BY CONSUMERS
At one point or other all consumers face a number of problems relating
to prices, quality, weights, misbranding, etc. (Fig. 11.2).

Fig. 11.2. Problems of consumers.

It is important to be alert about problems faced by the consumers on

account of common malpractices such as
Substandard products/ Lack of Quality Products

 Sub-standard products are freely sold in the market which can

affect the safety of consumers.
 Moreover, good quality products are not available, even if the
consumer is ready to pay the extra price.
  Products are not stored or transported at appropriate
temperature leading to further deterioration in quality .
 Manufacturers sell goods as imported products and use locally
available material and charge them at the price of imported
goods. The quality may vary, and many consumer are ignorant
about the quality.

2. Duplicate Packing/Imitation:
 Some manufacturers pack sub- standard products in attractive
packaging similar in size, shape, colour and label to those of
popular brands, so that the consumer gets misled . Any difference
is assumed as a misprint by the consumers.
 Some times manufacturers repack the old product in attractive
noval shaped pack and advertise it as new pack .
 A standard mark on products may not ensure quality and safety.
Fake or duplicate products are sold bearing replica of standard
marks where no license number is mentioned. They misrepresent
or misuse the standardized marks (Fig. 11.7).
 Fig. 11.7. Fake standardised marks.
2.Adulteration
A product is adulteration when the composition , nature and quality
of product is altered which can lead to serious health safety issues .
Adulteration may be found in
 foods: To earn profit, shop- keepers add stones, marble chips, brick
powder, sawdust, etc., in cereals and spices and so on. Adulterants
like metanil yellow, argemone, etc., can prove fatal. Colour is
sprayed on apples or injected in water melon etc.
 fabrics: Fabrics may be made with a mixture of inferior yarns
which shrink, fade when washed. Moreover, they sell imitations
and try to pass them as pure, especially in the case of silk and
wool.
 medicines : expired or spurious /duplicate medicines are sold by
the chemist .
 petrol : petrol is adulterated with kerosene and naphtha( a
biproduct of petroleum distillation)
 Gold : Gold is adulterated with Iridium and ruthenium.
 Prices may also vary due to following reasons
 Good quality
 Availability – locally available and seasonal produce are cheaper
 Delivery system
 Cost of promotion (advertisements)
Method of purchase ( wholesale/contract/cash)
 Government policy (Taxes, GST, etc)
 Market location – expensive in remote areas
 Consumer demand and desire for convenience (online)
 high or low cost of production,
 overhead expenses, Quality of product etc.

High prices / Price Variation

From a consumer point of view , more price means better quality
which is not always true.
Very often consumer have to face following problems in context
to prices.
 Prices are not fixed and vary in two shops .
 Shopkeepers charge more than the highest MRP (maximum
retail price).
 Poor quality goods are sold at the price of good quality popular
brands.
 Any price is charged for loose items without labels or packages.
 The costs of decorations, extra lights, air conditioners and other
overhead costs, all contribute to the increase in costs.

Lack of Consumer awareness

 Most consumers are unaware of their rights and responsibilities
and
 do not know the various legislative provisions like consumer
protection act , that have been made to protect them.
 Consumers are not aware about the consumer aids like how to
read a label,
 how to find a complaint in the consumer court , difference
between guarantee and warrantee.
 Consumers are also not aware of Restrictive trade practices
when shopkeeper sets a condition for buying, hiring and goods or
service . This means when the consumer is forced to buy a thing
against his or her will . For example, a shopkeeper does not give
less than ½ metre cloth or less than a strip of medicine, forces
consumers to buy a soap dish with oil , gives toffees instead of
coins , buy one get one free etc.)

Lack of consumer guidance /information

 Manufacturers and shopkeepers do not give full and correct
information
 Shopkeepers refuse to give leaflets/booklets to consumers.
 Shopkeepers try to promote brands which fetch them higher
commission .
 The leaflets are mostly out of print. If available at all, they are
not written in local language or
 have crammed information which makes it impossible to read
them.
 Besides imitation of labels, the labels of most branded product
are not either factually correct of not complete. Very often their
print is blurred or too small to read. They often use terms which
cannot be understood by common man .
 Advertisements are too brief and not focus on features, care and
maintenance, after sales service, etc.
  There is a lack of buying guides on consumer products which can
help the consumer to make informed choices.
 The drawbacks of any scheme is given in very small print which
is impossible to read without lenses .

. Defective / incorrect Weights and Measures

In order to weigh less than what a consumer pays for, shopkeepers

often adopt the following malpractices: (Fig 11.5)
1) Weights and scales are altered by retailers or correct measures and
weights are used incorrectly
2) Use hollow bottom iron weights which weigh less than the genuine
ones [Fig. 11.5 (a )].
3) Measures with a false bottom or dents are used to measure
liquids like milk, oil, etc. [Fig. 11.5 (b)].
4) Use irregular weights like bricks and stones instead of standard
weights [Fig. 11.5 (c )].
5) Use weighing balance with wooden beam that does not remain
horizontal when the pans are empty [Fig. 11.5 (c )].
6) Pointers of weighing scale are missing in the balance do not
start from zero.[Fig. 11.5 (c )].
7) Magnet is put under the pan of the scale [Fig. 11.5 (c )].
8) Iron rings are hung on one side of the balance [Fig. 11.5 (c )].
9) Narrow bottles with thick glass are used which do not contain the
specified amount [Fig. 11.5 (d )].
10) short or dented measuring rod is used to measure fabric or
table is used as a substitute [Fig. 11.5 (e)].
11) Beams of scales are kept on an uneven surface or a slanting
surface [Fig. 11.5 ( f )].
 12) Liquids( milk) is not measured up to the brim or is
measured along with its froth.
13) The entire content is not emptied while measuring liquids
such as oil, milk, petrol.
14) Gold smiths charge high making charges .
15) They may sell 18 carat gold at the rate of 22 carats.
16) Stones embedded in precious metals are also charged at the
same rate.
17) Some petrol pumps have tempered meters.

Defective weights Defective measures

sale promotion schemes

 SALE up to 80%! Buy ONE get ONE FREE! HURRY! Limited

period OFFER! Special discount for first 100 customers! Lucky
draws !!FREE television with a refrigerator! Consumer are lured
 and often fall prey to such sale tactics. They feel disappointed
to find there is some catch in such sales gimmicks.
 While advertising, manufacturers give an exaggerated picture of
their product and the consumer gets disillusioned, when these
products do not measure up to the quality advertised. They use
attractive packages to lure the consumer . Sometimes the product
is packed in several layers or in much larger packing than
required. Old product are often repacked in noval packs and sold
as new . Free attractive gifts and discounts are offered with low
quality products. The consumer is often forced to take certain
free gifts with some essential items, e.g., every time the consumer
buys oil, he gets a free plastic tiffin box with it.
 Ma r k e ts ar e floode d w it h innumerable indian and
international brands . consumers no doubt have vast choice of
good quality products at competitive prices, many a times it
becomes difficult for a consumer to make the right choice.
 On television, a string of advertisements of the same commodity are
shown, each professing to be the best. This usually leaves a
consumer confused.

ROLE OF CONSUMER EDUCATION

Consumer education involves educating the consumer as to what to buy,
where, when, how, how much to buy and how to use the purchased
goods.
Thus Consumer education helps the consumer to:
1. become aware of his rights and responsibilities.
2. develop the ability to decide and choose things intelligently
3. be alert, well informed and vigilant against corrupt practices in
the market
4. demand safe, reliable and good quality products at a reasonable
price.
 5. take necessary action / file a complaint when faced with a
problem.
STANDARDIZATION MARKS
The standard mark indicates that a product has been produced in
accordance with the norms laid down by the standardizing agency. They
assure consumer of the quality, purity, reliability and safety of the
products to which they are given. Standard marks also encourage
manufacturers to provide better competition in the market and also
upgrade the quality of their products. Thus standard marks assure a
good value of their money which leads to customer satisfaction.
There are several standard marks, each assigned to a particular product.
Each has its own role. Some of them have been discussed below.
 Role of Standard
Marks

FSSAI

ensure quality
Ensures purity Issue liscence spead awareness
products

FSSAI ( Food Safety and Standard Authority of India )

FSSAI is established as a regulatory body under the Food safety and standard act of 2006
for inspecting the quality of food products.

Following the Food Safety and Standard Act 2006, it is mandatory

for all food business operators in the country to be registered and
licensed by FSSAI. Registration is done after being satisfied with the
safety , hygiene and sanitary conditions of their premises .( refer to
chapter food quality and Food safety for more details on Fssai )

ISI MARK
Indian standard institute(ISI) is a certificate issued by Bureau
of Indian standard Institution(BIS.)
 ISI encourages the manufacturers to produce good
quality products.
 The quality is maintained right from raw material,
through the process to the finished product
  It issues them licences to use ISI mark on their product.
Licences are given only after ensuring the manufacturer’s
capability to produce quality products on a continuous basis.
 ISI also ensures public awareness by publishing
informative pamphlets and booklets.
Food products bearing mandatory ISI marks along with
FSSAI are given in the following box
Mandatory Voluntary ISI
mineral water, have only FSSAI
sweetened milk, mark on them
condensed milk, Biscuits, tea,
skimmed milk, milk coffee, drinking
powder, custard chocolate, ice cream
powder , chewing gum
 CM /L - 7 DIGIT LICENCE NUMBER INDICATES
GENUINE STANDARD MARK )

The Scheme is voluntary.

Mandatory for blended edible vegetable oil
and fat spread (,ghee, butter)is mandatory as per
provisions in The Food Safety and Standards Act and
regulations, 2006. The commodities certified under
Agmark for domestic trade are spices, ghee, butter,
mustard oil, wheat atta, Besan, honey, etc

HALL MARK is awarded by BIS ( Bureau of Indian Standards). It is a

standard mark given to precious metals such as gold,silver and
platinum. From 15th January 2021 , it is mandatory for all jewelers
to get hallmark. Currently gold hallmarking is voluntary. It assures
the consumers that the jewellery is genuine , of good quality and
adheres to the international standards.
WOOL MARK
Wool mark is owned by wool mark company , a global authority on
merino wool. Wool mark symbol was born in 1964.
Wool mark is given only after undergoing stringent tests for strength ,
uniformity, colour fastness, etc
The wool mark logo has five black bands criss crossing to form a skein
which represents the softness, elegance and purity of wool. (Fig 11.12)

fig 11.12 SYMBOL /LOGO OF WOOL MARK

It indicates that the product bearing the wool mark is made from
100% pure NEW wool. Thus wool mark gives an assurance of quality
and purity.
 SILK MARK
Fig 11. 13 Logo Of Silk Mark
Silk mark is a standard mark given to pure silk. It is promoted by Silk
mark organisation of India ( SMOI)- an initiative of Central Silk Board
,Ministry Of Textiles, Government Of India.
Silk mark label has a hologram and a unique number which can help the
consumers to trace to its authorised user. The label also has hidden
security features to prevent duplication.All silk mark labels printed
after 6th feburary 2015 will also bear year of printing ( Fig 11.13)
Silk Mark labels are either sewn on the fabric, or maybe in form of
paper hang tags and now fused onto the fabric which are tamper
proof.
ROLE OF SILK MARK
• It helps to protect the interest of consumers.
• Assures them of purity and quality
CONSUMER RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
CONSUMER PROCTECTION ACT 1986 has spelt out some rights
of consumers which enables them to fight against exploitation and seek
legal remedies.
An alert consumer is an asset to the nation . Most of the time
consumers unilaterally blame authorities for shortages in food and
shelter or shortcomings in providing various amenities. It is important
to realize and appreciate the efforts made by the government in
helping consumers exercise their rights. Consumers need to also fulfil
their responsibilities. They need to realize that without their active
participation, all laws and acts are ineffective.
These rights and responsibilities of the consumers have been
discussed in the following section.
Right to safety Responsibilities Of
Consumers
A consumer has the right to  Buy products with
demand safe goods and be standard marks.
protected against all harmful  Buy reputed brands
products like adulterated food , products from reputed shops
unsafe electrical appliances , and authorised dealers .
hazardous production processes  Follow the
manufacturer’s instructions
for use , care and
maintenance.
and services.

Right to choose Responsibilities Of Consumers

A consumer has the right to choose a
product from a variety of good quality
products at competitive prices.
 Survey the market before buying
,
 Compare the quality, brands,
guarantee/warrantee period, after
sales service , prices and make
informed choice.

Right to be Informed: Responsibilities Of Consumers

A consumer has the right to  Read labels carefully.

demand information regarding a
product such as its like quality,
purity, potency, ingredients,
prices, etc.
 be alert to any misprints, change of
colour,
 Do not get impressed by sales talk,
attractive packets, free gifts, sales tricks,
etc
 Check standard marks.

Right to consumer education: Responsibilities Of Consumers

A consumer has the right to make
himself aware of consumer 'evils' in
the society.This means that you
should acquire the knowledge and
abilities necessary for making wise
and intelligent choices.
 read booklets, provided with
products and newspaper
articles on consumer awareness.
 read the fine prints
 Do not sign anything
without reading.

Right to be heard/ Represent Responsibilities Of Consumers

 The right to be heard and to be
assured that consumers’ interests
will receive due consideration at
appropriate forums.
 Participate in public opinion
polls .
 Address the issues to the
concerned authorities, if need
be.

Right to seek Redresal: Responsibilities Of Consumers

A consumer has the right to seek  Take proper bills,

justice against any unfair and
restrictive trade practice or any
corruption. This means the right to
a fair settlement and compensation
for faulty goods or services in the
consumer court
 Get guarantee/warrantee cards
stamped and signed by the seller.
 Maintain bills
 Report and voice ny malpractices.
 File a complaint to concerned
authorities.

To summarize ,
RESPONSIBILITIES OF CONSUMERS
 Should update themselves on their rights, existing laws
national and international consumer organizations in terms of
their activities, work and understand the benefits of becoming a
member of such organisations.
 Survey the market before buying ,to make an informed choice.
 Should read all information given on label, leaflet etc before
purchasing
 Should buy only what is needed .
  . They should read and understand all terms and conditions ,
especially the fine print before signing any document.( LIC, credit
card)
 Buy goods with only genuine standard marks.
 Should take bill after paying taxes and file it carefully .
 Must be honest in their dealings not cheat the dealers.

CONSUMER PROTECTION COUNCILS

Apart from Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Directorate of
Marketing and Inspection (DMI), Government of India, there are
Protection Councils set up by the government at central and state
levels.
Country Consumer Publication
organizations s
India *VOICE Delhi based Consumer
Voice

India **CERC based in The

Ahmedabad insight
US Consumers Union in the Consumer
US Reports
UK Consumer association Which
in UK
Australia Australian consumers Choice
association
 *VOICE :Voluntary Organisation in Interest of Consumer Education

** CERC :Consumer Education and Research Centre

Role of Non government orgnisations / voluntary consumer

organisations in consumer education
i. They act as vigilance groups and play an important role in
consumer empowerment and consumer movement
ii. They do comparative testing of popular products to make
consumers aware of better and unsafe products and
products recalls.
iii. They create awareness about new legal provisions for
consumers , legal advice and support through magazines ,
newsletters, booklets , audio-visual aids etc.

iv. They also handle consumer grievances and help them to

file complaints

.
To protect the interest of consumers, the government introduced
Consumer Protection Act in 1986 (now called CONSUMER
PROTECTION ACT 2019 )

The Salient Features of consumer protection act 2019

Consumer Protection Act is one of the most progressive and
comprehensive milestones in the history of socio- economic
legislation in the country.
1. Main function is to protect the consumers from fraudulent practices ( unfair and
restrictive trade practices )
2. . The Act has made the consumer movement powerful and broad based
and people oriented .(It covers all the sectors whether private, public or co-
operative)
3. It applies to both goods and services ( now also covers transactions made on line
)
4. Based on the principle of self help-( consumers can represent themselves
)
5. Gives the consumer the right to complain to an authority (consumer can lodge a
complaint at three levels (the District, State and National forums)

District National State forum

forum forum

claims between one above

up to crore to hundred
one hundred crore
crore crore
6. It intends to provide simple redressal (provides flexibility to consumers to file from
anywhere electronically and both parties can be examined through video-
conferencing.
7. Provides for timely redressal - now mediation is introduced as an Alternate
Dispute Resolution mechanism, making the process of dispute adjudication simpler
and quicker.
8. It has nominal fees.
9. The Act has two implications
 Punitive /punishable for example impose a penalty on a manufacturer or an
endorser, for a false or misleading advertisement
 Compensatory consumer can claim compensation for any loss or injury suffered
on account of manufacturer .

PROCEDURE FOR FILING A COMPLAINT AND

REDRESSAL . ( for practical )
1. File a complaints before 2 years.
2. Send a notice to the opposite party y registered post. If no
response , then file a complaint.
3. Fill in the prescribed form stating
name, address, description of both parties.
4. State the facts relating to the complaint-
when and where it arose
5. Specify compensation or relief b e i n g
sought.
6. Submit a notarized affidavit stating that the contents/facts
are true
 7. Attach bills , copy of registered A.D. and the court fee.
8. Submit the complaint in the consumer court.
9. Attend all hearings .
10. The court’s final order will be sent to all the parties by
registered post.

Consultan
t
audiovisu Analyst
al division in lab

consumer Ministry
scope
helpline of Affairs

teacher/le BIS/FSSAI
cturer /AGMARK
voluntary
consumer
organisati
on

SCOPE

1. Work in government organizations like

 (BIS ) Bureau of Indian Standards,

 Directorate of Marketing and Inspection,(Ag
MARK )
  Ministry of Consumer Affairs in managerial and
technical positions.
 Central Consumer Protection AuthoritY (CCPA)

2. Work in voluntary consumer organizations(

VOICE/CERC) for product testing creating consumer
awareness and publishing of magazines.

3. Work in consumer division of corporate houses that deal

with consumer complaints and suggestions.

4. Work with market research organization in areas of

consumer behavior, product reach, and consumer
acceptance of new products, consumer feedback and
suggestion

5. Work in National Consumer Helpline for consumer

counselling and helping people in their redressal.

6. Work as analysts in consumer testing labs for

comparative evaluation of products

7. Work as consultants in consumer clubs of schools and

colleges.

8. Teach in schools and colleges in areas of consumer

studies.

9. Work with Department of Audio-Visual publicity as

content developer for their advertisements dealing in
consumer awareness.
10. .
KNOWLEDGE
1. Define the following terms ‘consumer.’ Consumer behavior ,
consumer products , consumer foot fall , consumer forum
 2. List four ways consumer protection council can help consumers.
3. Name two consumer organizations of India .
4. Enumerate the importance of silkmark, wool mark and hall
mark.
5. List the standard marks you will ensure while buying mineral
water ,honey, milk powder , gram flour.
6. Why is it important to buy salt which has a certification mark?
7. How do standard marks help in ensuring good quality products?

UNDERSTANDING
8. Explain the salient features of Consumer Protection Act.
9. Explain the rights of a consumer to the villagers.
10. How does a consumer benefit from consumer education?
11. Enumerate six problems faced by consumers in context to
weights and measure
12. What is the role of consumer protection council ?
APPLICATION
13. Ramesh found that the vegetables he had bought were
under weight. Analyse eight ways the grocer may have cheated
him.
14. Meera noticed the shopkeeper measuring the cloth with a
substandard scale. What are her responsibilities in this context?
15. Geeta is a school teacher. She bought a defective oven. The
shopkeeper refused to take it back. Educate her for her duties
and responsibilities in this context.
Practical
Theme: Develop leaflet/pamphlet for Consumer Education and
Protection
Objectives :
 Learn art of preparing leaflet/ pamphlet for awareness camp.
 collect information and use simple language
 create Awareness on Consumer Education.
Leaflet is single sheet of paper printed on both sides.It may
be:
 bi -fold brochure ( four panels- two panels on each
sides and folded in halves.
 Tri fold brochure - folded into thirds ( six panels ( 3 on
each side

The leaflet/pamphlet for Consumer Education can be on any one of the

following topics:
Procedure:
Collecting relevant information on following topics and compile the
topic in limited space in a leaflet or pamphlet form.
i. Consumer Protection Act (CPA)
ii. Consumer responsibilities
iii. Consumer organization
iv. Consumer Problems
v. Consumer Rights,
vi. Standardisation Marks,
Name School
Topic / Heading brief, summary of the theme
short, forceful words. ( use Only
one theme )
Subheading ( used when topic needs further
explanation
Introduction Brief
Body ( message /content ) Main message – facts and details
( simple and to the point)
Pictures Picture related to text only /
convey same idea and making
message clearer )
Conclusion One sentence – main message
Practical 2
Collect labels/packages of any ten commodities of daily use (like
spices, biscuits, bulbs, sugar, sauce, jam, etc.) note the standardisation
marks .