World Consumer Rights Day -A Brief Overview
Sungjemmongla Jamir
Department of Economics, Immanuel College
Every year, World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) is celebrated on March 15 with an aim to raise global awareness about consumer rights andhighlighting issue that is important to consumers around the world. On this day, every consumer organisations mark the day by joining together and measure the impact and global solidarity within the international consumer movement. On March 15 in the year 1962, it was John F. Kennedy who had formally addressed the issue of consumer rights saying, “Consumers by definition, include us all.” Since then, the consumer movement marks this day as the day to promote the consumers' rights.
Each year, the Consumers International (CI) provides a theme, concept and opportunities for coordinated action each year. Memberswork within the theme, adapting it to suit their national context and link their activity back to the global day of action.
Theme for 2018: ‘Making Digital Marketplaces Fairer’
In continuation of the last year theme, ‘Building a Digital World Consumers Can Trust,’ the CI has called for “Making Digital Marketplaces Fairer” recognizing the huge role played by Internet in the lives of consumers. Under the hashtag#BetterDigitalWorld,” it seeks to create awareness about how “Digital technology is having a dramatic impact on consumers around the world, creating many new benefits as well as challenges and issues.
According to the CI, today the percentage of the world’s population with access to “the internet has grown from 1% in 1995, to almost 50% in2017.” During the same time frame, e-commerce has grown at a fast pace reaching an estimated 1.61 billion peopleworldwide purchased goods online in 2016. In 2016, global e-commerce sales amounted to 1.9 trillion U.S. dollars andprojections show a growth of up to 4.06 trillion U.S. dollars by 2020.
In this regard, the CI opined that while E-commerce is an important issue for consumer protection organisations and despite its benefits, there are still a range of issues including lack of access, scams and online protection.
Consequently, ‘Making Digital Marketplaces Fairer’ Campaign called for action in three areas recognized as most relevant to consumers:
- Access
- Scams
- Online protection
In India, e-commerce has expanded over the years. According to report, online retail grew sharply over the previous year and is projected to accelerate its growth trajectory in 2018. In 2017, according to a report in Livemint, it grew to $17.8 billion in gross merchandise value (GMV) from $14.5 billion last year, a 23% increase. According to a NASSCOM's estimates, India's e-commerce market is estimated to be $33 billion in the financial year 2017.
Thus, while E-commerce has transformed the marketplace and has opened up a vast array of choice for consumers and expanded convenience on a scale never seen before, it also create issues and challenges for consumers as these transactions often happen across borders. Thus securing digital marketplaces as a fair place of marketing is paramount. “The consumer movement must work to ensure that digital marketplaces are fair and secure. That if things go wrong there is redress and compensation available.”
As CI emphasized, the ever-present danger of online fraud and scams has to be minimized and WCRD initiative since last year is to “make digital marketplaces fairer for all consumers with its #BetterDigitalWorld campaign.
Basic Rights for Every Consumer in India
In India, to protect the interest of Indian consumers, the government of India passed Consumer Protection Act, 1986 that gives Indian consumers some basic rights. On WCRD, it is important to mobilized and create awareness to every citizen about these rights.
According to Ministry of Consumer Affairs, one of the strongest campaigns for addressal and protection of consumer rights in India is “JagoGrahakJago” which literally translates into, “wake up consumers”! The first step begins with knowing the basics of consumer rights.
The act in general, gives the following basics of consumer rights:
Right to Safety: To be protected against the marketing of goods and services, which are hazardous to life and property. The purchased goods and services availed of should not only meet their immediate needs, but also fulfil long term interests. Before purchasing, consumers should insist on the quality of the products as well as on the guarantee of the products and services. They should preferably purchase quality marked products such as ISI,AGMARK, etc.
Right to be Informed: To be informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods so as to protect the consumer against unfair trade practices. Consumers should insist on getting all the information about the product or service before making a choice or a decision. This will enable them to act wisely and responsibly and also enable him to desist from falling prey to high pressure selling techniques.
Right to Choose: Right to be assured, wherever possible of access to variety of goods and services at competitive price. In case of monopolies, it means right to be assured of satisfactory quality and service at a fair price. It also includes right to basic goods and services. This is because unrestricted right of the minority to choose can mean a denial for the majority of its fair share. This right can be better exercised in a competitive market where a variety of goods are available at competitive prices
Right to be Heard: The consumer's interests will receive due consideration at appropriate forums. It also includes right to be represented in various forums formed to consider the consumer's welfare. The Consumers should form non-political and non-commercial consumer organizations which can be given representation in various committees formed by the Government and other bodies in matters relating to consumers.
Right to Seek redressal: The right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices or unscrupulous exploitation of consumers. It also includes right to fair settlement of the genuine grievances of the consumer. Consumers must make complaint for their genuine grievances. The Consumer courts like District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forums at district level, State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions and National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions formed to address these concern.
Right to Consumer Education: Means the right to acquire the knowledge and skill to be an informed consumer throughout life. Ignorance of consumers, particularly of rural consumers, is mainly responsible for their exploitation. They should know their rights and must exercise them. Only then real consumer protection can be achieved with success. In case of infringement of the above rights, a consumer can move to the consumer court to challenge.
National & State Consumer Helpline
Under the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, a project called National Consumer Helpline is run by the Centre for Consumer Studies at Indian Institute of Public Administration to deal with multitude of problems arising in their day-to-day dealings with business and service providers. A National Toll Free No-1800-11-4000 as well as SMS can also be sent to +918130009809 (charges apply) mentioning the name and city for any consumer queries. Among others, consumers can call to seek information, advice or guidance for their queries and complaints. The NCH supports consumers by: - Guiding consumers in finding solutions to problems related to Products &Services. - Providing information related to Companies and Regulatory Authorities. - Facilitating consumers in filing complaints against defaulting Service Providers - Empowering consumers to use available Consumer Grievances Redressal Mechanisms, Educating Consumers about their Rights and Responsibilities.
In Nagaland, the Department of Legal Metrology & Consumer Protection is the nodal agency for consumer related problem.
The Nagaland State Consumer Helpline can be contacted for counseling and authentic information at toll free number: 1800-345-3701. The Landline no. 0370-2292232 (call charges will apply as per the existing rate) is also there while the consumer can also write to nagaconsuhelpline@yahoo.com for any queries.
