Consumer movement

Introduction
The Consumer Movement is an effort to promote consumer protection through an
organized social movement which is in many places led by consumer organizations. It advocates
for the rights of consumers, especially when those rights are actively breached by the actions
of corporations, governments, and other organizations which provide products and services to
consumers. Dissatisfaction of the consumers as many unfair practices were being indulged in the
sellers. The terms "consumer movement" and "consumerism" are not equivalent.[1] The traditional
use of the term "consumerism" still practiced by contemporary consumer organizations refers to
advancing consumer protection and can include legislators passing consumer protection laws,
regulators policing these laws, educators who teach consumer policy, product testers who
measure the extent to which products meet standards, cooperative organizations which supply
products and services mindfully of consumer interest, as well as the consumer movement
itself.[1] The term "consumer movement" refers to only nonprofit advocacy groups
and grassroots activism to promote consumer interest by reforming the practices of corporations
or policies of government, so the "consumer movement" is a subset of the discipline of
"consumerism".[1]

Needs and Importance of Consumer

Movement
The importance of consumer movement is to protect consumer rights. Importance of
consumer movement can be studied with the help of the following points:-

(1) Protection from Unsafe Products: An important object of consumer movement is, the
united fight of consumers against harmful and unsafe products produced by manufacturers
and sold by traders. The examples of such products are medicines causing side effects, sold
without any written warning, sale of stale products, etc.

(2) Protection against Unfair Trade Practices: Businessmen do various unfair trade
practices like overcharging the customers, using inaccurate weight and measures, selling
inferior quality goods, resorting to black marketing, etc. Consumer movement protects the
consumers from such malpractices.

(3) Protection Against Pollution: Due to consumer movement, business organizations are
under pressure to take the necessary measures to control air, water and noise pollution.

(4) Bringing Consumers Together: It was very easy for business organizations to exploit
unorganized customers. However, due to consumer movement, customers are collectively
fighting for their rights. Thus, consumer movement has succeeded in uniting and getting a
fair deal for consumers from the business world.

(5) Control on Monopolistic & Restrictive Trade Practices: Many Laws and Acts have
been introduced to protect the interest of consumers against monopolistic and restrictive
trade practices of businessmen.
(6) Creating Consumer Awareness: Consumer movement creates awareness among
consumers and educate them through lectures, seminar, workshops, media, public
meetings, etc. regarding consumer rights.

(7) Timely Supply of Essential Commodities: Consumer movement has made it possible
for consumers to form Consumer Co-operative Societies for production and distribution of
essential commodities on co-operative basis so as to ensure their regular supply at
reasonable prices.

(8) Right to get After Sale Service: After sale service is provided by manufacturers and
sellers to the customer even after effecting sales. Seller must provide after sale services in
case of consumer durable products. The seller is supposed to undertake free repairs and
maintenance of products sold during the warranty period. The awareness about this right of
consumers has been brought through consumer movement.

(9) Pressure on Government: Since consumers are now united, they are able to exert
pressure on the government to enact various laws and introduce measures for consumer
protection.

(10) Link between Consumers and Business Community: Various consumers, by

passing on consumer grievances, their suggestions, etc to business organizations are
getting justice for consumers.

(11) Legal Help: Various consumer protection associations helps the consumer to get their
complaints against malpractices of traders, redressed through Consumer Disputes
Redressal Agencies or Civil Courts

Presentation of data and information

Features of Consumer Movement

Features of consumer movement are as follows

1. Voluntary Movement
2. Democratic Movement
3. Comprehensive Movement
4. Protection of Rights
5. Prevention of Malpractices
6. Unity Among Consumer
7. Enforcing Consumer Right
8. Seller beware
9. Prime Objectives

Discuss each feature of consumer movement one by one.

1. Voluntary Movement
Consumer Movement is a voluntary and collective movement of consumers. It is a movement of the
consumers, by the consumers and for the consumers. A group of active consumers come forward,
forms a union and fight for the well-being of the community. It is a non-political, non-religious
organization of consumers started to promote and protect interest of consumers.
2. Democratic Movement
Consumer Movement is a movement of the consumers, by the consumers and for the consumers. It
mainly aims at consumer protection, education, and welfare by adopting peaceful methods.

3. Comprehensive Movement
Consumer Movement is not restricted to purchase of goods and services by the consumers. It also
encompasses the public utilities and service like transport and communication, banking medical and
health. It is concerned with the quest of the consumers to achieve a best standard of living and a
better quality of life.

4. Protection of Rights
Consumer Movement has the objective to make the business community and government to
guarantee and enforce the legitimate rights of consumers.

5. Prevention of Malpractices
Consumer Movement has the objective is to prevent unethical practices within the business
community, such as artificial scarcity, adulteration, black marketing, profiteering, etc.

6. Unity Among Consumer

Consumer movement aims at creating awareness and unity among consumers and thereby to take
group actions on issues like, consumer laws, supply of information about marketing malpractices,
deceptive and restrictive trade practices.

7. Enforcing Consumer Right

Consumer Movement aims at enforcing four basic rights of consumers are Right to Safety, Right to be
informed, Right to choose and Right to Redress.

8. Seller beware
Before the commencement of the consumer movement, goods were sold on the assumption, Let the
buyer beware. Every buyer was required to inspect the goods. Now the “seller beware” has become
the prime principle. This is due to growth of consumer movement. The seller is required to give fair
treatment to the consumers.

9. Prime Objectives
Consumer Movement prime objective is to ensure safety, security and welfare of the consumer
Aims and objectives

To know what actually is consumer movement .

To understand entire working of consumer movement.

To get detailed information about consumer movement

To get achieve knowledge about consumer movement

To compare regular and all source of movement with consumer

movement

To study consumer movement its working and importance.

To find out how consumer movement is help and advantages and

disadvantages

Consumer movement is a social movement which seeks to enhance the

economic well-being and bargaining power of consumers. The movement
has enjoyed public support in many countries. It has maintained
continuous presence in the Political field.

PRODUCT SAFETY: Consumer movement aims at removing hazardous products,

deceptive sales practices, and consumer exploitation from the market. Consumers
are indirectly affected when they purchase and use hazardous products which are
likely to affect their safety. Consumers are deceived when substandard or defective
goods are sold to them.

Solution to consumer problem: Consumer movement relates to solving of

problems of consumers through interaction with the government to bring about
appropriate, new or amended regulations or for ensuring compliance from
manufacturers and for imposing penalties for violations.

Providing consumer information: Consumers need to be informed about the

laws enacted by government. Consumers must be informed about the products –
price, quality, handling instructions, after sales service etc. Consumers need to be
informed about safety measures and dangers to life etc to be followed while using a
product

Opinion and suggestion

In today's changing market scenario,Be educated about the product and service
you consume. Since everything these days we are buying from the supermarket and
mega stores are processed up to a certain level, no matter you buying a simple bottle of
honey from Patanjali or Dabur, both brands has their own processing methods to treat
the organic honey, you should be knowing these things that what is the difference
between the treated organic product and an organic product.
Better try always to taste and experience the organic products too in order to experience
the difference between the processes and unprocessed ones. Try to connect to the people
from near by farms and villages, obviously it is going to take an extra effort but trust me
you going experience a different tangent of seeing many products processing from the
ground than how they get treated in plants and factories.

CONCLUSION
Voluntary consumer movement got a fillip in 1986 after the promulgation of the
Consumer Protection Act. Consumer activists were born overnight due to extraordinary
initiatives taken by the then government in translating the Act into time-bound quasi-
judicial redressal machinery and consultative bodies, which held out enormous hope for
the uncared consumers. One of the important aspects of the growth of the consumer
movement in this country was the much-touted time bound consumer disputes redressal
bodies, known as the District Forum, State Commission and the National Commission.
But, the time limits were rather adhered by exception. Thanks to lack of interest to
safeguard the consumer interests in a structured manner, the present central
government, in 2005, practically decimated the central consultative body, known as the
Central Consumer Protection Council, by simply amending the Consumer Protection
Rules, in a hushed manner, as there is no need for such amendments to be ratified by the
parliament.