If we ponder on our everyday life we will observe that companies and organizations have come a long way in playing a vital role in our lives. They provide us with our basic necessities and also cater to our need for special occasions. On one side we all share a bond of mutual trust and reliance with such organizations, but sometimes, this bond of trust and reliance is tested when what we are provided falls short of what we were promised. In fact, consumers are exploited on a massive scale by unfair trade practices such as through false or misleading advertisements, adulteration, etc. It is during times like these that consumer courts can come to our rescue.

Consumer courts can be approached when a seller breaches the trust of a consumer. Here, anyone can confidently file a case; it does matter who one is, as long as we have a valid case we can approach the Consumer Forums and the erring organization can be held to account for their mistakes. For example, there have been several cases involving large commercial banks that were not allowed to get away with a breach of trust, or poor customer service, on the plea that “there had been a technical glitch.” The courts assert that we trust the banks with our hard earned money and they ought to perform the services as promised. They cannot hide behind ‘technical difficulties’ and let the consumer suffer the consequences. In fact, a case can also be filed against providers of default free goods and services because there may be other concerns related with such services – for example, they might have associated health hazards that consumers need to be protected from. Other examples of violation of consumers’ rights include instances where the seller sells goods without mentioning the maximum retail price, and/or overcharging at any given opportunity. This is a big no. The court doesn’t support this; it is a violation of the Consumer Protection Laws.

We ought to know that consumer forums came to existence to protect consumers and also to ensure that we are not deceived by any mode. The awareness of our rights is the first step towards becoming a conscious consumer.  We must not hesitate to approach the consumer court if the claim is valid.  One should always file a complaint, if it is genuine, but to file a complaint one needs an invoice or bill as evidence of purchase. If you don’t file a complaint then you are encouraging corrupt businesses to indulge in such malpractices again. Every member of the society is a consumer. We all consume a variety of goods and services to satisfy our needs and we all know that survival needs consumption. Being literate consumers we must be aware of our rights and responsibilities and exercise them. We must look for quality certification marks while buying a product. The following is a list of some of the rights provided to consumers under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 –

• Right to Safety.
• Right to be informed
• Right to choose.
• Right to be heard
• Right to seek redressal
• Right to consumer education

However, in order to be able to enjoy our rights we need to adapt some safe practices. While purchasing, using and consuming goods we must follow certain responsibilities, such as:

• Ask for a cash memo
• Respect the environment.
• Purchase only legal goods and services
• Learn risks associated with products
• Be honest in your dealings

One good news is that many consumer organizations are working in our country to educate consumers about their rights and help protect them. These organizations provide legal advice to consumers and encourage them to take action against unfair trade practices.  In addition, some big businesses have started establishing their own customer grievance cells for the convenience of consumers. Many companies have established toll free complaint helpline numbers to redress the complaints of consumers. Businesses know that all the customers do not buy goods of the same brand, price and quality. Not only has this led to increased investments in business, but it has also resulted in the increase of customer satisfaction. Every consumer compares the utility of a good with its price before taking a decision to buy a product. However, it should also be a responsibility of the consumer to use eco friendly products which don’t cause any harm to the environment taking into consideration the goals of sustainable development.

Today the consumer is scattered. A person left alone cannot speak strongly about his problem with anyone. Therefore, there is strong need to get united; so that rights can be protected. In fact, consumer protection will not only help the consumers but also the businesses (because it bolsters a relationship of trust between the buyer and the seller).  It is now necessary to educate consumers about the rights so that they become aware and active and start exercising them – thereby helping the nation’s economy.