CHAPTER 1

CONSUMERISM – INTRODUCTION

The consumer is the center of all business activities. In modern days, it is

said that the consumer is the king of the market. Business activities are carried out to
satisfy, the wants of consumers. A commercial organization totally depends on the
customer not only for its survival but also for its growth. At present customer is given top
most importance and every attempt is made to satisfy the customer.

But in reality, the position of the consumer is different. He is like a slave.

He is exploited by well-organized and well informed sellers by charging higher prices, by
supplying poor quality goods, even by supplying adulterated goods, shot weight,
misleading advertisement, etc. Customers are still un-organized and have no idea about
their basic rights of safety, right to choose, right to be heard, etc.

In the word Consumerism, "Consumer" means the user or customer and

"ism" means movement", and hence, consumer movement is popularly known as
"Consumerism. It is an organized and collective movement of consumers. This
movement started in the year 1920 to protect the interest of the consumers. The main
object of this movement is to educate and unite consumers and to fight for the protection
of their rights. Consumer movement is similar to trade unions because it is a collective
approach to solve the malpractices and injustice done by any organization.

Thus, it is a movement of the consumers, for the consumers and by the

consumers because it is a social movement of consumers and it has came into existence
to educate and unite consumers to fight for their rights. In short the process of uniting
consumers is nothing but Consumer Movement.

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MEANING & DEFINITON :-

The term ‘consumerism’ was first coined by businessmen in the mid-

1960s as they thought consumer movement as another “ism” like socialism and

communism threatening capitalism.

Consumerism is defined as social force designed to protect consumer

interests in the marketplace by organizing consumer pressures on business. Consumerism
is a protest of consumers against unfair business practices and business injustices.
It aims to remove those injustices, and eliminate those unfair marketing
practices, e.g., misbranding, spurious products, unsafe products, planned obsolescence,
adulteration, fictitious pricing, price collusion, deceptive packaging, false and misleading
advertisements, defective warranties, hoarding, profiteering, black marketing, short
weights and measures, etc.”
Consumer organizations could provide united and organized efforts to
fight against unfair marketing practices and to secure consumer protection. The balance
of power in the marketplace usually lies with the seller. Consumerism is society’s attempt
to redress this imbalance in the exchange transactions between sellers and buyers.
Consumerism challenges the very basis of the marketing concept. Can a
free market economy based on competition respond to the rightful public demands? Is
there an inherent defect in the market mechanism? Should that defect be corrected by
political means, i.e., consumer legislation and Government regulations?
‘The theory that an increasing consumption of goods is economically
desirable also  a preoccupation with and an inclination toward the buying
of consumer goods.’

According to P. Drucker , Consumerism challenges 4 important premises of the

marketing concept-

(1) It is assumed that consumers know their needs.

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(2) It is assumed that business really cares about those needs and knows exactly
how to find about them.

(3) It is assumed that business does provide useful information that precisely
matches product to needs.

Consumerism covers the following areas of consumer dissatisfaction

and remedial efforts:

(1) Removal or reduction of discontent and dissatisfaction generated in the exchange

relationships between buyers and sellers in the market. The marketing activities of the
selling firms must ensure consumer satisfaction which is the core of marketing concept.
Marketing practices and policies are the main targets of consumerism.

(2) Consumerism is interested in protecting consumers from any organisation with which
there is an exchange relationship. Hence, consumer dissonance (post-purchase anxiety
and doubt) and remedial effort can develop from consumers’ relations not only with
profit-seeking organisations but also with non-profit organisations, e.g., hospitals,
schools, Government agencies, etc.

(3) Modern consumerism also takes keen interest in environmental matters affecting the
quality of life. Consumerism is the public demand both for refinement in marketing
practices to make them more informative, more responsive, more sincere, more truthful
and more efficient, and for a new concern with factors other than privately-consumed
goods and services that determine the quality of life.

Often, the new growing interest for the good life translates itself into
demand for more public goods and services such as better highways, more education,
better airports, better transport, crime-free cities and better environmental conditions,
conservation of natural resources and elimination of environmental pollution and so on.
Thus, consumerism represents vital aspects of socially responsible marketing.

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CONSUMER EXPLOITATION :-

Consumers are exploited when they are cheated in any form or when not
informed adequately about the product. Consumer exploitation is in many ways. They
may be exploited by giving incomplete or wrong information. They may be exploited by
sellers who may weigh less or measure wrongly. Sometimes, a consumer may be given
low quality of goods. One of the very common and a serious problem by which a
consumer may be exploited and cheated by the shop-keeper is by providing impure or
adulterated goods with harmful substances. Food adulteration is a serious problem in the
markets where the administrative machinery is not able to tackle this menace. As far as
the service sector is concerned a large number of complaints regarding medical services,
banking, insurance and electricity go unreported as the consumer is unaware of the
redressal mechanism. Cases of medical negligence are common but then the consumer
has no choice. The rural markets, which were earlier ignored by most of the big
international market players, are now being seen as a land of great business opportunity.
As the disposable income of the masses is growing, more and more corporate houses are
entering into the rural markets with their new goods and products. Due to this marketing
for rural consumers is becoming more complex. In India, where a substantial number of
the rural people are living below the poverty line, having high level of unemployment
and poor literacy level; consumer awareness continues to remain low. Several studies
have shown that rural consumers are generally ignorant and also unorganised. Under
these circumstances, the sellers or the manufacturers, exploit the consumers.

CONSUMER PROTECTION:-

The idea of consumer supremacy and consumer sovereignty is definitely

fallacious in a free market economy. In reality, consumer is not a king or queen. The
manufacturer or the seller is dominant and his voice is all powerful. His interests
normally prevail over the welfare of the consumer.
The root-cause of consumer movement or consumerism is ‘consumer
dissonance’, as it has been so nicely termed. Dissonance means after purchase doubts,

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dissatisfaction, disillusion, disappointment. These are the sentiments of all dethroned
sovereigns. But the consumer protection (the core of consumerism) is essential for a
healthy economy.
The apparatus of consumer protection alone can give necessary strength to
consumers in the market and restore the balance in the buyer-seller relationship.
Basically, consumers are demanding four ‘rights’ from the company- Safety of products,
full and accurate information about products and services (without which some articles
may not be usable and may produce sales-resistance), a choice and a voice (redress).
Growth of consumer movement was a proof that business had not been
practising the marketing concept but merely paying it lip sympathy. Drucker revealed
that consumerism is “product-oriented marketing.” Consumer protection or consumerism
will be redundant if business sincerely practices marketing concept, viz. customer-
oriented marketing philosophy.
Kotler is one of the few marketing theorists to see that consumerism is the
ultimate expression of the marketing concept because it forces product managers and
marketers to look at things from consumer’s point of view. In other words the pressure of
consumer protection really presents opportunities not challenges which, if seized upon by
the marketers, can provide additional strength to their marketing effort.
Marketers should realise that only satisfied customers are the best business
assets and they should not spare any efforts in obtaining as many as possible. This is the
underlying spirit of marketing concept and if such a policy is executed not only in letter
but also in spirit, there is no reason to have any additional constraint like consumerism or
legislation.

NEED FOR CONSUMER PROTECTION :-

Consumer choice is influenced by mass advertising using highly

developed arts of persuasion. The consumer typically cannot know whether drug
preparations meet minimum standards of safety, quality and efficacy. He usually does not
know whether one prepared food has more nutritional value than others; whether the

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performance of a product will in fact meet his needs and expectations; or whether the
“large economy size” is really a bargain. Hence, we need consumer protection.

1. Physical protection of the consumer, for instance, protection against products that are
unsafe or endanger health and welfare of consumer.

2. Protection of the consumer against deceptive and unfair trade practices. Consumer
must have adequate rights and means of redress against business malpractices and frauds.

3. Ecological and environmental effects of chemical, fertiliser or refinery complexes will

have to be seriously considered because they pollute water, air and food and endanger
human life. Consumer wants due protection against all types of pollution; he wants
enriched quality of life — a beautiful, healthy, and peaceful environment free from
pollution.

4. Adequate protection of consumer public against the abuse of monopoly position and/or
restrictive trade practices. Protection delayed is protection denied.

Greater and free competition in the market is of definite advantage to the

consumer. Competition can reduce prices, enhance quality and stimulate innovation in
product-mix and marketing-mix. Innovation means progress and progress means life, a
prosperous life. Competition is the dispenser of justice to the consumer and producer.
Consumer seeks protection, advice and information when his rights are
adversely affected. The shift from buyer beware to seller beware has increased the role of
Government in promoting the consumer’s right to safety, the right to be informed, the
right to choose, the right to be heard, the right to redress and right to represent.

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CONSUMER RESPONSIBILITIES:-

The rights and responsibilities being the two faces of the same coin, the IOCU has
also drafted certain consumer responsibilities which are as follows:
(a) Critical Awareness- To be alert and questioning about the goods and services they
use.
(b)  Action- To act on fair and just demands.
(c) Social Responsibility- Consumers must be concerned about the impact of their
consumption behaviour on other citizens, particularly on disadvantaged groups in the
local, national or international community.
(d)  Environmental Awareness- To be sensitive about what their consumption of goods
does to the environment and not waste scarce natural resources or pollute the earth.
(e) Solidarity- To act together through the formulation of consumer groups which have
the strength and influence to promote consumer interests.
Over the last twenty years, in fact, ever since the consumer forum under
the Consumer Protection Act became functional, consumers have become aware about
their rights and how these can be exercised. But, on the other hand, the Indian consumer
does not want to observe and fulfill responsibilities.
He is especially apathetic about his social responsibilities (e.g., indulging
in conspicuous consumption of luxuries), environmental awareness (e.g., slave to the
disposable culture) and consumer solidarity (‘all I’m interested is in solving my own
personal problem’ syndrome).
What the Indian consumer fails to realise is that it is this very lack of
solidarity that results in his large-scale exploitation. The more solidarity there is, less will
be the need to approach consumer forum for redressal. Solidarity can lead to more
representation on departmental bodies that can take care of various consumer problems.
Solidarity can lead to policy changes benefiting consumers and much more. The prime
concern of the consumer movement is to prevent or minimise consumers’ exploitation
and not maximise litigation.
In the present scenario, consumers’ policy issues no longer remain
national and local issues. With the Government opening its doors to international

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business interests, consumer issues too need to be studied and understood in the
international context.
Third world countries have already suffered from the policy of ‘dumping’
of drugs banned in Europe and the West and are likely to suffer further from the effects
of the transfer of obsolete or worn-out technologies into the countries. Consumer
solidarity gains extreme importance at such a time.

The United Nations has adopted a set of general guidelines for consumer
protection.
THESE COVER SEVEN AREAS:
1. Physical safety.
2. Promotion and protection of consumers’ economic interests.
3. Standards for the safety and quality of consumer goods.
4. Distribution facilities for essential consumer goods and services.
5. Measures enabling consumers to obtain redress.
6. Education and information programmes.
7. Measures relating to specific areas (food, water and pharmaceuticals).
The purpose of these guidelines was well described by the United Nations
Secretary General in his 1983 report — ‘The draft guidelines represent an initial attempt
to create an international framework within which national consumer protection policies
and measures can be worked out. They are also intended to assist the international
community in its consideration of the question of consumer protection policy and to
further international co-operation in this field.’

BUSINESS RESPONSE TO CONSUMERISM :-

Consumerism Opportunities:
Consumerism is now an established, a vocal, and a well-organised force in
the marketplace so that consumer complaints and grievances will be heard and redressed
(set right). The only question is who will answer those complaints? And who will redress
them? Business or Government?

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 If business ignores them or if business cannot or will not be accountable to
the consumer, it is obvious that the only alternative is more and more consumer
legislation and Government intervention to ensure justice and fair play to consumers. It
means that indifference of business towards ever-growing consumer movement will
amount to an open invitation or a blank cheque in favour of Government interference in
the free market mechanism.
In other words, consumerism is a direct challenge to business to be met
with squarely, if business wants freedom or survival in our economy.
Savvy marketers in India are fast recognizing the value of adopting a
positive attitude towards the new needs and wants of their consumers. Many of them
have instituted “positive action programmes” in their organizations which anticipate and
directly respond to consumer demands. This pro-consumerism is reflected in better
quality products, better services, better warranties, better credit, clearly spelt out and
strongly backed.
It is reflected in the trend to release more informative advertising that not
only sells, but clearly and honestly tells the consumer what he, or she, is entitled to know
about the product and its performance.
Consumers in India today increasingly expect value for money and quality
in products and services. Marketers in India are gradually showing genuine interest in
satisfying todays more sophisticated, more skeptical and more demanding consumers.
They must bridge the gap between consumer expectations and business performance by
adopting pro-consumerism marketing policy. This will benefit the business and economy
as a whole.
If businessmen avoid subjecting themselves to self-regulation and
voluntary restraint, society has a right to intervene through the people’s Government to
regulate their behaviour. In that contingency, authorities will be compelled to impose
more and more controls and restrictions through legislation.
If businessmen had earlier shown the necessary foresight and followed
effective, fair trade norms or practices, the need for enacting consumer legislations would
not have arisen. Failure of business to adopt marketing strategies from consumer’s

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viewpoint and develop consumer-oriented marketing concept is really responsible for the
growth of consumerism and consequent legislation to provide consumer protection.
Self-policing is far more effective and superior or advantageous than
State-policing in the field of distribution. There are about 40 million people employed in
the Indian distribution system alone. If constructive ties are forged between the
Government and the business, through co-operation, both parties can understand each
other’s viewpoints and difficulties and our economy can assure distributive justice
without controls and restrictions.
Business community must read the writing on the wall and take, without
delay, appropriate steps to regulate its conduct and cultivate self-discipline and self-
regulation in the larger national interests. Let it be noted that this is not merely for
protecting the consumer interest but also to protect the interest of the business community
itself.
In the current context of Indian marketing environment, business
cannot hope to thrive or survive unless it wakes up, faces the realities and fulfills both its
economic as well as its social obligations to the satisfaction of the consumer-public —
the man in the street — or the community at large. For today businessmen can do their
business only with public acceptability. Otherwise they will have no business left to
transact.

CONSUMERISM IN MARKETING :-

Areas of Basic Rights of Consumers:

Consumers have “rights” which are important for all marketers to

appreciate. Recently the UK government has encouraged the development of a citizen’s
charter which includes a “Patient’s charter” for the National Health Service, a
passenger’s charter for rail travellers, and various other customer-focused initiatives.

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 The real awakening of consumerism was in the USA. Before Nader’s
book, President Kennedy highlighted the obligation on an organisation owes to its
customers in his “Consumer Bill of Rights”.

This encompassed four main areas that should be basic rights for all
consumers:

(1) THE RIGHT TO SAFETY

(2) THE RIGHT TO BE INFORMED

(3) THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE

(4) THE RIGHT TO BE HEARD.

The idea of rights can be traced back to the “inalienable rights” included
in the US Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson. The marketing profession
of today must be aware of these rights and combine them where possible in any
marketing plans for products and services. They form a good framework for
considerations.

(1) The Right to Safety:

When a purchase is made, the consumer has the right to expect that it is
safe to use. The product should be able to perform as promised and should not have false
or misleading guarantees. This “right” is in fact a minefield for the marketing profession.
Products which were at one time regarded as safe for use or consumption have
subsequently been found by modern research not to be so.

There was a time when cigarettes were regarded as not being harmful to
health, sugar in foods was not highlighted in television advertising as being bad for teeth,
and the public were advised to “go to work on an egg”- in retrospect, was it safe to do so?

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Other examples are to be found in the medical field, such as the Thalidomide drug which
caused deformity to children born to mothers who took his prescribed drug.

Legislation which highlights “Products liability” has been introduced in

several countries. This has forced suppliers to consider their responsibility. But should
companies go further in a positive rather than a negative way? It could be said that this
right will be closely linked to legislation and it is obvious that this right will be closely
linked to legislation and it is obvious that marketers who fail to protect consumers do so
at their peril.

(2) The Right to be informed:

The right to be informed has far-reaching consequences – it encompasses

false or misleading advertising, insufficient information about ingredients in products,
insufficient information on product use and operating instructions, and information which
is deceptive about pricing or credit terms. But this adopts a negative approach. Avoiding
trouble is not sufficient.

Any market should take advantage of every opportunity to communicate

with consumers and to inform them about the benefits and features of the product offered.
It should be no protection to claim that consumers fail to read instructions. Marketers
must ensure fully effective communications between consumer and supplier.

But this ‘right’ determines that customers should be given adequate

information in order to implement the next right-the right to choose.

(3) The Right to Choose:

The consumer has the right to choose and, of course, marketing does try to
influence that choice. But, in most western markets competition is encouraged and
products should not confuse consumers.

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 As an example, it has been suggested that to make this right easier to
attain, packaging should be changed so that similar products from different firms are
packaged in exactly the same quantities, or at least use both metric and imperial weights/
measures and so make value comparisons easier for the customer.

In fact, Sainsbury provide this comparative information on shelf tickets,

but Tesco do not. The unanswered question remains – Do consumers use this information
in making choices, or do they use other criteria?

(4) The Right to be Heard:

The right of free speech is present in all western countries. However, do

organisations listen to consumers? In a well-focused marketing organisation such
feedback should be encouraged, and it should be treated as a key input for the future. This
right allows consumers to express their views after a purchase, especially if it is not
satisfactory. When anything goes wrong with a purchase the customer should expect that
any complaint should be fairly and speedily dealt with

CONSUMERISM AND MARKETING :-

All consumer groups affect the marketing environment in which

organisations operate. In addition, it should be realised that individual pressure groups are
each ‘marketing’ their ideas, but this is not considered here. Pressure groups can be
considered as one way of receiving feedback from consumers.

By working with such groups marketers can gain increased influence, and
this can be reflected in additional exposure as the pressure groups can generate positive.
PR for cooperative suppliers. Where it is an area of individual consumer taste, such as –
beer, the Campaign for Real Ale successfully encouraged suppliers to meet demands.

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 So marketers need to work with organised consumer groups and
understand the power of such groups in reflecting consumer attitudes and in shaping
demand. The consumers of today can vote with their spending power.

There is a growing realisation that this is happening. Companies that

recognise this and comply with such expectations hold a strong marketing advantage over
their unaware competitors. In 1991 The Times reported –

‘Stop drinking Nescafe for the sake of babies in Brazil’, the General
Synod (of the Church of England) told us this week. But as far as the Church the
England’s legislators are concerned, we may continue to enjoy Rowntrees’ sweets,
Eindus fish fingers and Cross & Blackwell soup-our babies may continue to sup breast
milk substitutes.

Yet these are also products of the Nestle group, which, campaigners claim,
promotes bottle feeding in third world countries, encouraging mothers to give up breast-
feeding, and increasing the risk of disease. Nestle says that it is acting in accordance with
a World Health Organisation code of 1981; the campaigners retort that it is breaching
rules added to the code in 1986.

We chose not to target baby milk, because it seemed inappropriate to

boycott a product that some child might genuinely need/ says Patti Rundall, the national
coordinator of Baby Milk Action, the pressure group that inspired the motion passed by
the synod. ‘Nescafe is Nestle”s highest profile brand, and the company can well afford to
lose some of its market share without its affecting jobs.’

Campaigners do not necessarily measure effectiveness only in terms of

policies reversed and products withdrawn. There is little doubt that numerically more
boycotts fail than succeed, the magazine The Ethical Consumer said last year, adding –
‘Even an “unsuccessful” boycott can be a useful campaigning tool.’

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 However, when the Avon cosmetics group announced in June 1989 that it
was giving up animal-testing, a spokesman admitted that consumer boycotts had
influenced the decision. A similar animal testing campaign against Boots. The Chemist,
has been less successful. The campaign is directed at Boots shops, but its targets include
drug-testing by Boots Pharmaceuticals.

The point is that Nestle are being made a target for consumer action aimed
at their top selling product, even though the behaviour being attacked is taking place with
another product (dried baby milk) in another country (Brazil)

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 CHAPTER 2

CONSUMERISM IN INDIA

INDIAN SCENERION ON CONSUMER PROTECTION :-

Protection of consumers is necessary because an average consumer is less

informed and less powerful than the seller. Both voluntary measures and law can be used
to protect consumers.
Anyone who buys goods and avails services for his/her use is a consumer.
Any user of such goods and services with the permission of the buyer is also a consumer.
Government of India has enacted more than thirty laws to improve the lot of the
consumers.
Some of these are — The Contract Act 1882, The Sale of Goods Act
1930, The Laws of Torts, The Essential Commodities Act 1955, Tine Prevention of
Food Adulteration Act 1954, The Standards and Weights of Measures Act 1976, The
Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices (MRTP) Act 1969, Agriculture Produce
(Grading and Marketing) Act 1937 and The Consumer Protection Act 1986.

Despite the plethora of laws and rules, the status of consumers in India
remains deplorable. There are several loopholes in many laws. The implementation of
many laws has been tardy and faulty. The enforcement machinery is lethargic and
corrupt.
Consumers are ignorant of the rights and remedies available to them under
different laws. Even if a consumer is aware of these laws, he does not go to the courts due
to complicated, time-consuming and expensive legal procedures.

In the absence of strong consumer movement, legislation has failed to

improve the lot of the consumers. Further, the various laws provide no direct relief to the
consumer as the focus is on punishment to persons violating the laws.

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 The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 was enacted for better protection
of consumers’ interests. It provides effective safeguards to consumers against defective
goods, unsatisfactory services, unfair trade practices and other forms of exploitation.

The law lays down a time frame for disposal of cases. It provides for
simple, speedy and inexpensive redressal of grievances because no fee or other charges
have to be incurred by a consumer. He can make a complaint on a simple paper without
any legal or stamp paper.

Unlike other laws, which are punitive or preventive in nature, this law is
compensatory in nature. It provides for three tier machinery consisting of the District
Forum, State Commissions and National Commission.

The law also provides for formation of Consumer Protection Councils.

These Councils are expected to promote the cause of consumer protection in every State
of India through education.

It covers six consumer rights:

(I) RIGHT TO SAFETY

(II) RIGHT TO BE INFORMED

(III) RIGHT TO CHOOSE

(IV) RIGHT TO BE HEARD

(V) RIGHT TO REDRESS

(VI) RIGHT TO CONSUMER EDUCATION

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(I) RIGHT TO SAFETY :-

The Consumer Protection Act defines this right as a protection against goods

and services that are ‘hazardous to life and property’. This particularly applies to
medicines, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, and automobiles. The right requires all such products
of critical nature to life and property to be carefully tested and validated before being
marketed to the consumer.

(II) RIGHT TO BE INFORMED :-

This right mentions the need for consumers to be informed about the quality
and quantity of goods being sold. They must be informed about the price of the product and
have access to other information specific to the product that they wish to consume.

(III) RIGHT TO CHOOSE :-

The consumer must have the right to choose between different products
at competitive prices. Thus, the concept of a competitive market where many sellers sell

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similar products must be established to ensure that the consumer can actually choose what to
consume and in what quantity. This is to avoid monopoly in the market.
(IV) RIGHT TO BE HEARD :-
The purpose of this right is to ensure that the consumer gets due recognition
in consumer courts or redressal forums. Basically, when a consumer feels exploited, he has
the right to approach a consumer court to voice his complaint. This right gives him/her due
respect that his/her complaint will be duly heard. The right empowers consumers to fearlessly
voice their concerns and seek justice in case they are exploited.

(V) RIGHT TO REDRESS :-

When a consumer feels exploited, he/she has the right to approach

a ‘Consumer Court’ to file a complaint. A consumer court is a forum that hears the
complaint and provides justice to the party that has been hurt. Thus, if the consumer feels
he/she has been exploited, they can approach the court using this right.

(VI) RIGHT TO CONSUMER EDUCATION :-

Consumers must be aware of their rights and must have access to enough
information while making consumption decisions. Such information can help them to choose
what to purchase, how much to purchase and at what price. Many consumers in India are not
even aware that they are protected by the Act. Unless they know, they cannot seek justice
when they are actually hurt or exploited.

After an amendment in 1993, the scope of the Act has been widened to
include paid services like medical services rendered for a charge.

The Act applies to all goods and services unless specifically exempted by
the Central Government. It cover- all sectors whether private, public or cooperative. The
provisions of this Act are in addition to and not in derogation of the provisions of any
other Act.

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 State Commission is set up by the State Government and its jurisdiction is
restricted to the boundaries of the State concerned.

(i) The State Commission shall consist of a President, who either is or has been a Judge
of a High Court, and two other members. All the three shall be appointed by the State
Government.

(ii) Only those complaints can be filed where the value of goods/services and
compensation claimed is between Rupees twenty lakhs and one crore. Appeals against
the orders of any District Forum can also be filed before the State Commission.

(iii) The State Commission, after being satisfied that the goods were defective, can issue
an order directing the opposite party to either remove the defect or replace the goods or
return the price paid or pay compensation to the consumer for loss or injury, etc.
Any person who is aggrieved by the order of the State Commission can
appeal against such order to the National Commission within 30 days

INDIAN CONSUMER AND NEED FOR CONSUMER

PROTECTION :-
In marketing and economics, it is said consumer is the king. Consumers
are supposed to direct and control all economic activities, but the reality is a far cry from
this in India.

The reasons are many:

1. Some products, some of which are of strategic importance, are short in supply.
Producers exploit the consumer as in the situation of excess demand, supplier and not the
consumer becomes the king in the market. Trading in such products gives rise to black
market and hoarding.

2. In certain products, even if there is no actual shortage, markets due to oligopoly

(market with few sellers) and monopoly (market with one seller), create an artificial

20
demand by restricting the output so that they are able to push up the price. Under such
conditions, consumers often get products paying a high price for a low quality.

3. Ignorant and uneducated consumers. Lack of education has spilled its ill effect on
every sphere of the society, including in consumption. Consumers are ignorant and
uneducated about the market conditions and the availability of products. In such
situations, the marketer has a tendency to exploit the consumer. The situation is really
unfortunate when the so called educated people turn out to be ignorant consumers. In
India, there are many such cases.

4. People are very scared of the legal procedures. People are apprehensive about Police
and Courts. Many consumers, to avoid legal action, will not exercise their rights. People
are unaware of the simple procedures under the Consumer Protection Act.

5. Last but not the least, India is a country of low and middle-class income people. Most
of them struggle for their “bread and butter” and consider raising voice, against injustice
towards them from the market or a Government institution, a time wasting activity, This
needs an attitudinal change, and consumerism can go a long way in achieving such
attitudinal change.
All these points emphasise one aspect. There is a real need in our country
to have a good and effective “Consumer Protection.” Such a protection will go a long
way to build a healthy economy. A strong market is made up by strong supply and
demand side. Consumer Protection, which is the core of consumerism alone, can give
necessary strength to the demand side in the market, which is generally biased in favour
of the supplier. To strike a balance in the buyer-seller relation, “consumer protection”
plays an important role.
To have an effective consumer protection, a practical response on the part
of three parties, viz., the business, the Government and the consumer, is essential. Firstly,
the business, comprising the producers and all the elements of the distribution channels,
all have to give due importance and regard to consumer rights.

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 The producer has an inescapable responsibility to ensure efficiency in
production and quality of output. Producers are always tempted to charge “exploitative
price” that should be resisted, especially when the product is of high importance and
relatively low supply. In other words, if it is a seller’s market, a socially responsible
producer should see that product reaches the consumer within a reasonable time and at a
reasonable price, i.e., products should not be hoarded and black marketed.

As the veteran business executive of a multinational observes- “Restraint

is best exercised voluntarily than through legislation, which will, otherwise, become
inevitable. Advertising agencies and marketing management have a very important role
to play in this respect. By overplaying the claims, they will be cutting the very branch on
which they are perched.”

Secondly, the Government has to come to the rescue of the “helpless”

consumer by preventing him from being misled, duped, cheated and exploited. The
motive of private gain tempts business to maximise income by socially undesirable trade
practices. These are calls for Government intervention.

Statutory action, to protect the interests of consumers, has become quite

common everywhere in the world. The most common example of Government’s
intervention to protect consumer’s interest is the policy of price cycling in the case of
house rent, kerosene, etc.

Thirdly, consumers themselves should accept consumerism as a means of

asserting and enjoying their rights. This brings us to the next important issue in
consumerism — “Consumer’s Rights.

22
 CHAPTER 3

PRODUCT QUALITY - INTRODUCTION

Definition of Quality:

Generally, it can be said that product is of satisfactory quality, if it

satisfiers the consumers/user. The consumer will buy a product or service only if it suits
his requirements.

Therefore, consumers’ requirements are first assessed by marketing

department and then the quality decision is taken on the basis of the information
collected. Although we have described the virtues of quality one basic question needs be
answered: What is quality and who decided what quality?

Quality is either a written or non-written promise/commitment to a

consumer, known or unknown in the market, because the market is decided by the
plant/company, that to which type of consumer/customer to cater to quality is a strategic
marketing decision taken by the company itself.

Thus it can be said that the quality decision is based on various marketing
considerations production constraints, manpower constraints and equipment or
technology constraints. In this way the decision concerning quality are not in the hands of
one functional manager, since this involves overall strategic decision for the running
business of a corporation.

The essential need of the products/services is that they must fulfil the
requirements of those who will actually use them. Now because the use of the product
differs from situation to situation, the requirement is viewed in different manners by
various users.

23
 Simple definitions evolved for quality are (i) Fitness for use (ii)
Consistent, Conformance to consumer’s needs, or poor/inferior quality of raw material
entering into the plant/enterprise or improper techniques/ method and processes being
followed in the plant.

A more comprehensive definition of quality as adopted by International

Standards Organization is “the totality of features and characteristics of product or
service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs revolving around
customer”.
It may be concluded that quality is a key attribute that consumers use to
evaluate products or services. Thus it is everything to everyone involved in a business, to
satisfy the total needs of every consumer/user whoever that customer may be, and is
driven by the market conditions, i.e., by the competition and especially by the consumer.

In the end, quality is the capability of a product or service to satisfy

“knowingly” those preconceived composite needs of the consumers/user(s) that are
intelligibly related to characteristics of performance, and do not lead to major overt or
covert action or reactions by other people.

Quality Characteristics:

An element which makes a product/item fit for use is the quality

characteristics. The quality characteristics also mean a process by which the fitness for

use can be translated into the technologists’ language for managing the quality. The

quality characteristics are also classified into categories called ‘parameters’ of fitness for

use.

Two such major parameters are known as:

(i) Quality of design and

(ii) Quality of conformance.

24
 The quality of design is concerned with consumers’ satisfaction by

variation in quality of products popularly called “grades”. In contrast the quality of

conformance is the extent to which the products/ items and services conform to the intent

of design.

The process capability, inspection and process control is involved in

achieving this conformance so that product/goods produced meet the pre-decided

specifications. The end of both these parameters is the quality as shown in Fig. 33.10.

Cost Quality :-

Quality management is not only concerned with maintaining the quality

characteristics of a product but also with achieving the same at least cost.

25
There are basically three categories of cost of quality:

(i) Costs of Appraisal:

These are the costs of inspection, testing and such checking operations
which are essential to maintain the product quality the costs of the implementation of
quality as well as the costs of monitoring and control are included in this cost.

(ii) Costs of Prevention:

These are the costs to prevent the manufacturing of poor quality products.
These include costs of activity such as quality planning which tries to ensure that proper
precautions have been taken to avoid wrong sampling plans being made or poor/inferior
quality of raw material entering into the plant/enterprise or improper techniques/method
and processes being followed in the plant.

(iii) Costs of Failure:

Inspire of prevention and appraisal, there will still be losses by virtue of

rejections, rework and spoilage etc. to some extent. These costs as well as the costs of

attending to consumer complaints and providing product service are included in the

category of costs of failures.

26
Impact of Poor Quality:

(1) Reduction in sales is the result of poor quality of product which leads to lower
production volume and hence reduced profitability. Such losses may prove detrimental to
the existence of those manufacturing plants.

(2) Poor product quality also affects goodwill of manufacturer in the market. Goodwill is
created as a result of good performance over a long period and goodwill once lost is very
difficult to re-establish.

(3) A manufacturer or a supplier may be required to replace a product, if it proves to be

of inferior quality during the guarantee period and replace the parts/components during
warranty period.

(4) A manufacturer is liable to indemnify the customer for any loss sustained by him by
virtue of poor product quality.

(5) A manufacturer may be compelled to sell the sub-stand products at reduced price.

(6) Defective products may lead to stoppages in production processes thus leading to
higher cost of production.

(7) Sometimes, a manufacturer has to pay for rework on defective items/goods.

(8) Sometimes extra money is to be spent by producer for repair and servicing of
defective products.

(9) A rejected/substandard product represents a loss to a manufacturer equivalent to

material as well as labour cost plus other overhead costs.

(10) In case the proportion of defectives increases it makes essential for the industrial
plant to invest extra amount for vigorous inspection and testing at various stages of
production.

27
(11) The high proportion of production of defective/substandard products affects the
morale of the work force badly.

(12) Sometimes it becomes necessary to identify the causes of failures or high rate of
defective production. The manufacturer has to waste money on such investigations

Importance of Quality:

Quality is an important dimension of production and operations

management. It is not sufficient to produce products/goods or services in the right
quantity and at right time; it is important to ensure that the goods/items and services
produced/provided are of the right quality.

The consumer of the final product of company/organization requires a

certain quantity of products of requisite quantity as per his requirements. Without quality,
the other dimensions of quality and time have little rather no relevance.

Quality management, which includes ensuring proper quality for a

organization’s/plant’s output product, is important not only for its survival in the market,
but also to expand its market if new product line is to be introduced and various other
marketing ventures.

The lives of human beings are effected to a great extent by the quality of
products and services. Quality failures may and would result in serious human
inconveniences, wastage of money and sometimes loss of life.

In the early twentieth century, consumers/users were expected to pay extra

for quality. However in the present day competitive business market quality is no longer
an option. In other words, it is a positive need without which the survival of an
organization is not possible.

28
Quality Management:

Quality management is related with quality assessment. Quality

assessment is a probe of the level of quality being achieved. This assessment of quality
leads to quality control and it includes action taken to do away with unacceptable quality
products.

A typical quality control programme is based upon the periodic inspection

at various stages of production, later followed by feedback on results and the adjustments
made where found essential. The term quality assurance is quality control but with an
emphasis on quality at the design stage of the products, processes and jobs and in the
selection of manpower and their training.

Another term Total Quality Control (TQC) refers to a total commitment to

quality in all its aspects, to commitment of quality in all functional areas of work and
utilizes behavioural techniques such as quality circles (QC,S) and zero defect
programmes etc.

The biggest misconception among people regarding TQC is that it is

restricted to product quality and it is not about the quality of all business processes. The
concept of TQM is that, it takes quality from the shop floor to every conceivable activity
in an organisation. Keeping the consumer at the centre of all thoughts, decisions and
processes.

To Improve a industry’s/company’s operations effectiveness (TQM) is one

of the techniques along with others such as supply chain management, reengineering,
cellular manufacturing and bench marking etc.

Thus operational effectiveness techniques and TQM can elevate a

company’s operation to such a level which cannot be surpassed unless there is some
alternative superior technology. This could be a short term competitive benefit. It is

29
essential to appreciate that rival plants/industries can also adopt the same operational
effectiveness techniques.

Quality management is also defined as “the system of establishing defect

prevention actions and attitudes with a industrial unit/company or a organization
on a permanent basis for the purpose of assuring conforming products or services
directed at customer satisfaction.”
The TQM provides a entirely different way of looking at the management
style. It develops and provides a participative culture where each employee can directly
participate in areas concerning his work as well as decisions relating to his work. So it is
an approach to improve the effectiveness and flexibility of the organization as a whole.

The basic aim is to involve every person of every department of the

organization to work together so as to eliminate errors and prevent waste. The cross
functional goals such as quality cost, manpower development, quality of work life are
satisfied by this improved performance. Thus all these activities ultimately provide
customer and employee satisfaction.

QUALITY MARKS IN INDIA :-

ISI Mark :-

ISI is a certificate mark scheme , operated by Bureau of Indian Standards

(BIS), earlier known as Indian Standards Institute (ISI), under the provisions of BIS Act,

30
1986. Any product that has the ISI mark is supposed to be of minimum standard and safe
for use by consumers.

The ISI mark is both mandatory and voluntary. Some mandatory ISI
certification products include cement, electrical appliances, LPG cylinder, Batteries, Oil
pressure stove, Automobile Accessories, Medical equipment, steel products, Stainless
Steel, Chemicals, Fertilizers,  infant foods and packaged drinking  water. Complete list of
mandatory products is listed by BIS.

AGMARK :-

The Agmark certification is done of agricultural commodities for the

benefit of consumers and producers/manufacturers by Directorate of Marketing and
Inspection, an agency of the Government of India.  There are some 205 different
commodities including Pulses, Cereals, Essential Oils, Vegetable Oils, Fruits and
Vegetables, and semi-processed products that have to have an AGMARK. The scheme is
legally enforced by Agricultural Produce (Grading & Marking) Act, 1937.
Manufacturers seeking to grade their commodities under Agmark have to
obtain a Certificate of Authorization from an Agmark laboratory. For this purpose, they
should have adequate infrastructure to process the commodity and access to an approved
laboratory for determination of quality and safety factors. The quality of a product is
determined with reference to factors such as size, variety, weight, colour, moisture and
fat content. The grades incorporated are grades 1, 2, 3 and 4, or special, good, fair and
ordinary.

31
 WOOLMARK :-

The Woolmark logo is owned by Woolmark Company of Australia. It’s a

non-prof-t organization and is a global authority. Woolmark is used to identify products
that contain wool.  There are three marks for different types and blends of wool.

1. Products with the Woolmark logo are 100 per cent pure new wool and have been
approved and certified to meet quality specifications and offer natural comfort.
2. The Woolmark Blend logo identifies products containing a minimum of 50 per
cent new wool, offering comfort and performance.
3. The Wool Blend symbol represents products with 30 per cent to 49 per cent new
wool. This logo identifies wool containing wool and other yarns such as polyester and
nylon.

FSSAI :-

FSSAI is not an obligatory certification mark but it signifies that food is

hygenic and meets the approved safety standards set for food items under the Food Safety
and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006 .  The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
(FSSAI) issues a  14-digit license number to Food Business Operators, which along with

32
the FSSAI logo is to displayed on the package of food in contrast color to the
background. Products that should have the FSSAI logo can be checked.

CHAPTER – 4

IMPACT OF CONSUMERISM AND PRODUCT

QUALITY CERTIFIACTION

Following are some headlines of newspapers regarding impact of

Consumer protection and Product quality certification.

Gutka pouch in bottle: Pepsi asked to compensate

consumer
Oct 1 …. 2013

AHMEDABAD: A consumer court in Gujarat has asked Pepsico India Holdings Pvt
Ltd to pay Rs 20,000 to a consumer, who found a gutka pouch floating inside the
packed soft drink bottle he had purchased.

Rajesh Rajan purchased a bottle of Pepsi from a local store in Ahmedabad in August
2008, but he found a gutka pouch inside the bottle. He dashed off a legal notice to
the company accusing it of deficiency in service that could cause health hazard for
consumers. The multinational giant even replied to the notice, but a year later. 

Rajan approached a Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum, Ahmedabad (rural) and

demanded Rs 5 lakh from the company towards compensation. During the hearing,
the consumer forum sent the sample to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's
laboratory for analysis. After hearing the case, the consumer forum asked the
company to return the amount of Rs 8 back to Rajan. Besides, the forum also asked
the company to pay Rs 4,000 towards compensation for causing mental torture and
towards litigation cost.

Rajan was not happy with the amount. He moved Gujarat state's Consumer Dispute
Redressal Commission and complained that Rs 4,008 was too meager an amount
towards compensation, particularly when he had spent Rs 500 after sample testing.

33
He also argued that the company should be fined in the manner that sets an example
in the society that those who are deficient in service should be taught a lesson. 

The commission asked the company to pay Rs 20,000 to Rajan towards

compensation and Rs 2,000 towards litigation cost. 

Earlier this year, the Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum, Ahmedabad (rural) asked
this company to deposit Rs 20,000 with the State Consumer Welfare Fund after its
soft drink was found contaminated.

Cadbury ordered to pay Rs.30,000 to man who found a pin

in chocolate bar

AGARTALA:  A consumer court in Tripura has ordered Cadbury India Ltd to pay
a compensation of Rs.30, 000 to a complainant who found an iron pin inside a
chocolate bar made by the company, an official said here Wednesday.

"A man purchased a Cadbury chocolate on Dec 16, 2011, for his three-year-old
daughter and found an iron pin inside the bar when the girl tried to eat it.
Subsequently, he filed a complaint before a consumer forum," a food department
official told reporters in Agartala.

"After conducting a hearing, the west Tripura district consumer disputes redressal

34
forum last week ordered Cadbury India Ltd to pay a compensation of Rs.30, 000
to the complainant within a month."
The forum, which in its judgment said the chocolate was hazardous, also asked
the chocolate company to pay Rs.1, 000 to the complainant towards the cost of
litigation.
 
Story First Published: May 22, 2013 13:47 IS

McDonalds India to pay Rs 15,000 for delivering the

wrong burger
February 1, 2013 

NEW DELHI: Fast food giant McDonald's has been directed by a consumer forum
here to pay Rs 15,000 as compensation to one of its customers for delivering a non-
veg burger instead of the vegetarian one she had ordered.

The South West District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum said, "By delivering
her a non-vegetarian burger instead of the vegetarian burger ordered by her is a
gross negligence on the part of the delivery-crew-member, whose conduct is
tantamount to deficiency-in-service.

"Allowing the complaint, we direct the opposite party (McDonald's) to pay to the
complainant Rs 10,000 as compensation and Rs 5,000 as cost of litigation," the
bench presided by Narendra Kumar said.

The order came on the plea of Delhi resident Vimal Chaudhary who had alleged that
she had ordered for two vegetarian burgers, but she was delivered one non-
vegetarian and one vegetarian burgers.

She had said that she realised it was a non-veg burger only after eating half of it and
thereafter, she had started vomiting.

The woman had also alleged that being an Arya Samaj follower and a Hindu, eating
the non-vegetarian food has hurt her emotionally and she also suffered religiously.

In its defence, the McDonald's had contended that the woman had wilfully accepted
the non-veg burger instead of the vegetarian one ordered by her.

35
The forum, however, rejected the contention, saying had she wanted a non-veg
burger she would have ordered one

Consumer forum directs Nokia to pay Rs 67k to a

customer for selling defective mobile

NEW DELHI: Nokia India has been directed by a city district consumer forum to pay Rs 67,000 to
one of its customers for selling him a "defective" cell phone and then failing to repair it or refund
its price.
The South-II District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forumheld Nokia guilty of indulging in unfair
trade practice for selling a defective phone and then failing to repair it or refund its price since
September 2007 when it was first taken for repairs by Delhi resident and complainant Rohan
Arora.

The forum also held retailer Luthra Communications guilty of resorting to unfair trade practice.
"When the complainant (Rohan Arora) left the defective piece of good to its manufacturer, it was
incumbent upon it either to remove its defect to satisfaction of the complainant or to refund its
(mobile's) amount with interest. But opposite party did not bother to resolve such genuine request
of the complainant.

"Hence we hold both the opposite parties (Nokia and the retailer) guilty for gross deficiency in
service and unfair trade practice and direct them to jointly and severally refund the amount of the
handset amounting to Rs 37,000 and to further pay a compensation of Rs 25,000 for supplying a
defective good and thereafter not replacing the same or to remove its defect to his satisfaction."

"They shall also pay a sum of Rs 5,000 towards the cost of the proceedings," the bench presided
by MC Mehra said.

Arora in his complaint had alleged that the phone, a Nokia E 90 Communicator bought in July
2007 for Rs 37,000, had poor incoming and outgoing audio quality right from the beginning.
He had returned the mobile to Nokia in September 2007 to replace it or repair the defect, he had
said adding that the handset was replaced with an old instrument which also had the same
problem.

He had also alleged that Nokia flatly refused to refund the cost of the phone. Nokia was
proceeded against ex-parte as it had appeared only once before the forum.

36
Dead insects in bottle: Coca-Cola fined Rs 1.2

lakh
Friday, 28 April 2006 - 5:45pm

NEW DELHI: Soft drink manufacturer Coca-Cola was on Friday

ordered by a city consumer court to pay over Rs 1 lakh after a
man found dead insects in an unopened bottle of Sprite
advertised as the company's top product in the softdrink market.

"It seems that giant companies have only focussed their eyes on
their one-point programme -- make money. For that end they will
even play with the public's health," District Consumer Redressal
Forum (North) comprising president KK Chopra and members RK
Prabhakar and Neeru Mittal said.

The complainant had registered the case against Coca-Cola

Company, Atlanta, USA; Hindustan Coca Cold Manufacturing Co.
Pvt. Ltd; local manufacturer Moon Beverages Ltd and Suri Cold
Drink, the retail outlet from which the complainant had
purchased the contaminated drink.

Directing Coca-Cola and its three ancilliaries to pay the damages

"jointly or severally", the forum directed them to pay Rs 1 lakh to
the Consumer Legal Aid Fund here and Rs 20,000 towards the
complainant towards mental agony caused to him.

This judgement follows an earlier one by the same forum ordering

identical compensation against softdrink major Pepsico after a
consumer chanced upon a condom in a sealed Pepsi bottle.

37
The complainant, Atul Khattar, a resident of Malka Ganj here, had
on August 10, 2003, purchased the bottle from the oultet near
Sarai Rohilla locality in the capital.

Khattar, who then happened to take a glance at the sealed

bottle, was shocked to find dead insects floating in bottle.

Subsequently, Khatter filed a complaint with the district forum

seeking over Rs five lakh damages for negligence and deficiency
in service.

In defence, Coca-Cola denied any liabilty towards the

complainant claiming that the brand Sprite was not their product.

The court effectively countered this argument by annexing as

proof certified copies of prints taken from an authorised Cola
web site advertising Sprite as a "youth icon" possessing "a
straightforward and honest attitude".

It further warned Coca-Cola of legal action regarding perjury for

deliberately attempting to mislead the court by submitting "false
affidavits" before it.

"Coca-Cola has avoided and denied in their affidavits aspects of

manufacturing of the soft drink, and the filing of false affidavits
before this forum makes it a clear-cut case of perjury," the court
said.

It brushed aside Coca-Cola's contention that the bottle may have

been manufactured by unscrupulous people bent on spoiling the
company's reputation.

"Coca-Cola is vicariously responsible for the spurious

manufacturing of Sprite and cannot absolve itself from the
prescribed standards of purity as per relevant law," the forum
observed.

38
It also directed the sofdrink major to the complainant pay Rs
3,000 as litigation costs.

CHAPTER 5

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

DATA SOURCES :-

This data is based on PRIMARY as well as SECONDARY DATA. The

primary data for the understanding of consumer awareness of consumer
protection acts and product quality certification has been collected through
structured questionnaire with 100 consumers through different places in the
Jaipur.

SELECTION OF SAMPLE :-

A sample of 100 consumers has been selected at random for the purpose of
the stores. The sample customer dealt with Jaipur

TABULATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF DATA :-

39
The data was collected through a single type of questionnaire compiled on
suitable tabulation sheets, which were also prepared for the purpose.

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY :-

The secondary data which is used was very difficult to find as per the
relevance . The study has been conducted for only one city i.e. Jaipur. Since
the study is based on sample opinion, the result may vary due to sample size
and composition. The conclusion of the study is also based on sample
opinion of the customer.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY :-

1- To know the rise of Consumerism movement.

2- To know about Consumer Protection Acts in India.
3-.To know about certification of quality of goods in India.
4. To know the significant impact of consumer movement in India.
5. To know about consumer’s awareness about Consumer Protection , Rights
and Certificaion of Product quality.

40
 CHAPTER – 6

ANALYSE , INTERPRETATION AND FINDINGS

ANALYSE :-

The data collected was thoroughly analyzed with the help of various
statistical techniques. We have taken the help of tools like average,
percentage and graphical tables, etc. to analyze and interpret the data
collected through primary and secondary sources.

1- Purchased any product ?

S. No. Particulars Total Average

1. YES 100 100%
2. NO 0 0%

41
 120
100
80
YES
60
NO
40
20
0

2. Have ever found any defect in product ?

Particulars Total Average

Yes 52 52%
No 48 48%
Total 100 100%

53

52

51

50
YES
NO
49

48

47

46

42
3. Response towards defective product?

S. No. Particulars Total Average

1 Complain 20 20%
2 Adjust 25 25%
3 Reject 55 55%

60

50

40

Complaint
30
Reject
Adjust
20

10

4. Awareness of Consumer Rights and Consumer Protection?

S.NO Particulars Total Average

1. Yes 54 54%
2. No 46 46%
Total 100 100%

43
 55
54
53
52
51
50 Yes
49 No
48
47
46
45

5. Complained to Consumer Forum?

S. No. Particulars Total Average

1 Yes 5 7.40%
2 No 49 92.60%
Total 54 100%
60

50

40

YES
30
NO

20

10

6. Awareness of Product Quality Certification?

44
 S. No. Particulars Total Average
1 Yes 37 37%
2 No 63 63%
Total 100 100%

70

60

50

40
Yes
No
30

20

10

FINDINGS :-

1. Just close to half i.e 54% had neutral knowledge about Consumer
Protection and Consumer Act.

2. Not even 10% of them has ever complained about defective product
to Consumer Forum, only about 7.40% have done that.

4. Less than half (38%) of the respondents had neutral Knowledge

about free choice of goods and services

45
3. Only 37% of the respondents has neutral knowledge about Product
Quality Certification.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION :-

46
 BIBLOGRAPHY :-

Books:-

1. Consumer Protection Movement in India: Problems and

Prospects by S S Ed Chaha

2. Consumer Protection (Law & Practice) by Vijendar Kumar Agarwal

Websites :-

HTTPS://VITTANA.ORG/

HTTPS://SWIFTMONEY.COM/BLOG/

HTTP://WWW.ECONOMICSDISCUSSION.NET/INDIA/

HTTPS://WWW.HISTORYCRUNCH.COM //

HTTP://WWW.SCRIBD.COM

HTTP://WWW.SHODGANGA.NET

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