I am a consumer, more often since online shopping became more easily accessible. I am consuming some sort of goods or services on a daily basis. Everything is smooth until hiccups like glitches in services, gaps in customer care, etc. trouble me. In such circumstances, what are your rights as a consumer? Do you have any way out….or do you just be thankful that at least the convenience is there? At least there is a nearby store which is willing to sell 2 packets of milk. At least the clothing store has all the variety of clothes…..it’s okay if they didn’t give me the piece of cloth I paid for while buying it online. In this blog, we are throwing some light on your consumer rights, for you to know – What are your rights as a consumer in India?
Consumer Rights
A consumer is anyone who pays a certain amount to avail/hire specific services, or buy goods/products. Consumer rights are the entitlements of a person who consumes a good or service. What are your rights as a consumer is important to know for everyone, because as humans, all of us are consumers one or the other day, regardless of the age, gender, profession, etc. Hereunder, we have discussed the various consumer rights provided under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
What are your rights as a Consumer? – Find Out Below
- Right to Safety
As a child, we used to have the habit of singing those TV commercials like “Aaya Mausam Thande Thande Dermi Cool Ka”, “Washing Powder Nirma, washing powder Nirma”, “Amul Doodh Peeta Hai India”….remember those golden days? Now, do you remember advertisements for cigarettes or alcohol? That’s because you as a consumer have a right of safety, and the right against marketing of anything that may prove hazardous to you or your property. The provision as per the Consumer law lays that consumers have “the right to be protected against the marketing of goods, products or services which are hazardous to life and property”.
This may be understood as the reason for actionable claims against actress Madhuri Dixit after Maggi’s (2-minute noodles) safety was in question a few years ago. Even endorsing hazardous products is against consumer rights.
- Right to be Informed
Have you come across this “Label Padhega India Campaign”? It is an applaudable initiative by Revant Himatsingka which prompts consumers to have a look at the product’s label and be aware of the actual nutritional value, as against what is claimed. The information available on the labels is your right as a consumer. The Consumer Protection Act 2019 provides that consumers have “the right to be informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods, products or services, as the case may be, so as to protect the consumer against unfair trade practices”.
Thus, the manufacturers are duty bound to mention all the details regarding the nutritional value, the preservatives added, colourants if any, etc. An example of the benefits of such information is that suppose you are allergic to peanuts, or dairy products, you can skip such products in order to avoid any health risks. Since you have a right to be informed, any such missing information gives you the right to raise your claim against the manufacturers of such goods/products.
- Right to Choose
As a consumer, your budget plays a great role in what you choose, along with the requirements, choice of colour/flavours/packaging etc. The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provides for “the right to be assured, wherever possible, access to a variety of goods, products or services at competitive prices”. In other words, you as a consumer should not be stuck with one product at a given price. You should be able to choose among a variety of products, also enjoy competitive prices as against one product at a higher price.
- Right to be Heard
Can you imagine a world where you order Vegetable Pulao, receive uncooked rice of bad quality, at the price of Vegetable Pulao, and there is nobody who is there to hear you or bring any relief for you. To avoid such a situation, your right as a consumer is “the right to be heard and to be assured that consumer’s interests will receive due consideration at appropriate fora”. So if any of your consumer rights are violated, you can approach the Consumer Forum and lodge your complaint as per the process. If you succeed, you will be appropriately compensated.
- Right to Redressal
What are your rights as a consumer in India if there is no grievance redressal setup for you? It would indeed be meaningless for anyone if they are given a right and no way to enforce those rights. That is why the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 states that “the right to seek redressal against unfair trade practice or restrictive trade practices or unscrupulous exploitation of consumers”. There is a whole redressal system in place to deal with the grievances of consumers and uphold your rights as a consumer.
- Right to Awareness
Haven’t you come across one of those TV advertisements – “Jaago Grahak Jaago”…..I bet I can sing this in tune. There is “the right to consumer awareness” as provided under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. Your right as a consumer is to be aware of the potential risks or benefits associated with a particular product or service. A perfect example is a cigarette box which warns of the potential risk of cancer among smokers. The same is also included in the commercials shown in movie theatres.
