Consumer Rights & Responsibilities

Consumers are an integral part of the society. But the importance of consumer was only recognized in primal societies but with the advent of time Consumer became a victim of exploitation. With the evolution of unfair trade practices, the introduction of consumer rights also became necessary. The Consumer Rights and the Responsibilities are intertwined together. So the rights & responsibilities are the two faces of the same coin. Consumer Rights were envisioned by the activists of the West. Consumer Rights tend to safeguard consumer interest. Some unfair trade practices like under-weighing & adulteration led to the birth of Consumer Rights. Consumer protection rules are built on the premise that consumers are the weaker party to the transaction, but consumer’s responsibilities are evident too. The second face of the coin lends a duty on the consumers also.”If you live for having it all, what you have is never enough.” –Vicki Robin. This quote leads to the fact that rights alone cannot guarantee Consumer Protection. Responsibilities ought to be considered a paramount parameter to check Consumer Protection. In a major case, State of U.P & Ors v. All U.P Consumer Protection bar Association, the S.C had asked Centre to frame rules for effective implementation of Consumer Protection Act. The Rulings like these are intended to empower the consumers.