Consumer Awareness
Acknowledgement
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Principal of our school for giving me the
opportunity to work on this informative and insightful project on Consumer Awareness. I
extend my heartfelt thanks to my class teacher and subject teacher for their continuous
support, guidance, and encouragement throughout the project. Their valuable inputs and
suggestions helped me understand the concepts deeply and present them in a structured
manner. I am also thankful to my classmates, family members, and survey respondents who
cooperated with me during the questionnaire survey, which formed an essential part of this
project. This experience has enriched my understanding of consumer rights and
responsibilities.
Content (Index)
Sl. No. Topic Page No.
1 Acknowledgement 2
2 Content (Index) 3
3 Introduction 4
4 Case Studies 5
5 Questionnaire 6
6 Data Analysis 7
7 Conclusion 8
Introduction
Consumer Awareness refers to the knowledge and understanding that a buyer or customer
should have about their rights and responsibilities in the market. With globalization and
digitalization, the variety of products and services has increased immensely. Hence, it is
crucial for consumers to be aware, alert, and informed.
Consumers have certain duties like demanding a bill, checking product details (expiry date,
MRP), and avoiding black-marketed goods. A responsible consumer helps in building a fair
market.
Unfortunately, consumers are often exploited through unfair trade practices such as false
advertising, substandard products, overpricing, and lack of transparency. To combat this,
the Indian Government introduced the Consumer Protection Act (COPRA), 1986, which
provides six major rights:
1. Right to Safety
2. Right to Information
3. Right to Choose
4. Right to Seek Redressal
5. Right to Representation
6. Right to Consumer Education
Consumers can identify quality products by looking for marks of standardization like:
- ISI (Indian Standards Institute) for industrial products
- Agmark for agricultural products
- Hallmark for gold and silver jewelry
Over the years, the consumer movement in India has gained momentum through the efforts
of NGOs, activists, media, and government campaigns. Celebrating National Consumer Day
on December 24th, India encourages awareness among its citizens.
Case Studies
To understand the practical implementation of consumer rights, here are two real-life case
studies from India where the Consumer Courts protected the interests of consumers:
Case Study 1: Medical Negligence – Indian Medical Association vs. V.P. Shantha (1995)
In this landmark case, the Supreme Court of India ruled that medical services fall under the
purview of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. The complaint was filed by V.P. Shantha and
others regarding the negligence of a doctor that caused harm to the patient. The court ruled
in favor of the consumers, stating that patients are consumers and can approach consumer
courts for compensation in cases of medical negligence.
Consumer Rights Protected: Right to Safety, Right to Seek Redressal
Case Study 2: Faulty Car Complaint – Hyundai Motors vs. a Consumer (2014)
A consumer purchased a Hyundai car which started showing frequent defects shortly after
purchase. Despite repeated servicing, the problems persisted. The consumer filed a
complaint in the District Consumer Forum alleging deficiency in service. The forum ruled in
favor of the consumer and directed Hyundai to either replace the vehicle or refund the
money along with Rs. 2 lakh as compensation.
Consumer Rights Protected: Right to Information, Right to Redressal, Right to Value for
Money
These cases highlight the importance of being an aware and responsible consumer and the
effectiveness of consumer courts.
