World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) is coordinated by Consumers International for its observance on March 15 since 1960 for respecting and protecting consumer rights against market abuses and social injustices.
The theme for WCRD for 2021 is 'Tackling Plastic Pollution' and there are eight consumer rights areas are related to essential goods and services such as follows: 1. Food; 2. Clothing; 3. Shelter; 4. Health care ; 5. Education; 6. Public utilities; 7. Water; 8. Sanitation
Though India's National Consumer Rights Day (NCRD) is observed every year on December 24, however, WRCD is observed widely.
“However, first and foremost, we need to become aware of our rights as consumers. Whenever we buy anything - goods or services - we have certain rights and responsibilities. The goods and the services are the things you have obtained in exchange for our hard earned money at the market or online,” wrote Jaipur based Citizen Journalist, Dr Lalit Kishore in an article published in Meri News earlier.
Excerpts from the article are as follows.
-Consumer rights and welfare measures are now an integral part of the life of an individual and we should make use of them consciously and thoughtfully. There are four basic consumer rights: the right to safety; right to be informed; right to choose and right to be heard.
-India’s Consumer Protection Act (COPRA) of 1986 in India has given six rights to the consumers related to the safety; information; choice; representation; redress and consumer education.
- Mahatma Gandhi had deemed a customer as the most important visitor on any business premises providing businessmen an opportunity to serve him or her. If the precept of Gandhi ji becomes the guiding principle of business, rights of the consumers will be automatically fulfilled.
According to Inshore, we as a consumer have certain rights and must be aware of them. Every individual is a consumer at the market place, regardless of occupation, age, gender, community or religious affiliation.
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