Consumer Protection Test - 32

The Sale of Goods Act came into existence on 1 July 1930. It is a contract whereby the seller transfers or agrees to transfer the property in the goods to the buyer for a price. It is applicable all over India, except Jammu and Kashmir.

Importance of physical safety, reflects the point that products may be adulterated and pose health hazards, endangering consumers' lives. This underscores the crucial need for consumer protection measures. Ensuring physical safety is a fundamental aspect of consumer rights, as consumers rely on products to be safe for use or consumption. Without adequate safeguards, consumers are vulnerable to various risks associated with product quality, including contamination, adulteration, or substandard manufacturing processes. Therefore, protecting consumers' physical safety is essential for upholding their rights and well-being, emphasizing the importance of robust consumer protection mechanisms.

A consumer is a person who buys any goods or services for consideration and uses the goods for non-commercial purposes.

Consumer Protection Act 2019: The Consumer Protection Act (CPA), 2019 has replaced the Consumer Protection Act of 1986. This Act also proposes the establishment of a Central Consumer Protection Authority in order to promote, protect, and enforce the rights of consumers.

The importance of consumer protection from the consumers’ point of view can be understood from the following points:

• Consumer Ignorance: In light of the widespread ignorance of consumers about their rights and the reliefs available to them, it becomes necessary to educate them about the same so as to achieve consumer awareness.
• Unorganised Consumers: Consumers need to be organised in the form of consumer organisations that would take care of their interests.
• Widespread Exploitation of Consumers: Consumers might be exploited by unscrupulous, exploitative, and unfair trade practices like defective and unsafe products, adulteration, false and misleading advertising, hoarding, black-marketing, etc.

World Consumer Rights Day is marked on 15 March of every year. The day is observed for creating awareness about the rights of all consumers against fraud, discrimination, and other such practices.

The "Right to be assured" includes access to a wide variety of products in terms of quality, brand, prices, size, etc., ensuring that consumers have diverse options to choose from and make informed decisions. Therefore, access to products with limited variety does not align with this right.

The right to seek redressal is the right of consumers to seek a remedy or resolution when they are dissatisfied with a product or service. In this case, Aaradhya, despite fulfilling the terms and conditions of the plot allotment, was not given possession by the builder. As a result, she filed a case in the State Commission, seeking redressal for the injustice or breach of contract by the builder. This action aligns with the consumer's right to seek redressal, as it involves pursuing legal recourse to address the issue and seek a resolution.

Right to safety means right to be protected against the marketing of goods and services, that are hazardous to life and property. The purchased goods and services availed of should not only meet their immediate needs but also fulfill long term interests.

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.

Consumer protection is the practice of safeguarding buyers of goods and services, and the public, against unfair practices in the marketplace. Consumer protection measures are often established by law. Such laws are intended to prevent businesses from engaging in fraud or specified unfair practices in order to gain an advantage over competitors or to mislead consumers.