ABSTRACT
Consumers are seen as the kings of the market in this age of competition, but in reality, the king is deceived and abused by his kingdom, particularly in emerging and undeveloped nations like India. The purpose of this study is to examine how customers view the Consumer Protection Act and to determine consumer base’s understanding of consumer protection in the Thane City. A significant turning point in the nation’s history of socioeconomic law is the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 (68 of 1986). In contrast to current laws, which are primarily punitive or preventive in nature, the new law aims to better safeguard consumers. In actuality, consumers must understand their significance and role. Only until the consumer actively participates in the movement by being aware of and upholding his rights will it be successful. Due to unfair commercial practices, consumers are exposed to numerous risks, including physical, environmental, and exploitation. Strong consumerism is required in our nation for a variety of reasons, including poverty, a lack of social awareness, ignorance and misinformation, low levels of education, and illiteracy.
Keywords: Consumer, Consumer awareness, consumer Protection Legislations.
INTRODUCTION
The customer is essential to the operation of marketing as it exists today. Sometimes the consumer needs to bear the brunt of the market’s cunning. Thus, giving customers comprehensive information about the products, services, and their rights is consumer protection. Since consumers spend time and money on marketing campaigns and have a right to clear information, it is crucial to raise consumer awareness. Sammy business people engage in deceptive advertising, dangerous products, overcharging, underweighting, and other malpractices. Raising consumer awareness is one way to prevent such delinquencies.
CONSUMER
Anybody who purchases products or uses services for valuable consideration—including payment that is deferred—is considered a “consumer.” The phrase excludes anyone who purchases products or services with the intention of reselling them or using them for profit. However, those who use products or services only in order to support themselves through self-employment are regarded as “consumers.”
CONSUMER (a) The Consumer Protection Act of 1986 defines “Consumer” in section 2(1)(d). Consumer Sec. 2(i) defines a consumer as (1) any individual who purchases any items for consideration that has been promised, paid, or partially promised. (c) In any payment plan with deferred payments. By creating a consumer council and other authorities to handle consumer disputes and associated issues, the Act seeks to better protect the interests of consumers. Other Laws Demonstrating the Consumerist Spirit
Consumer awareness is a crucial component of consumer protection and market efficiency. It refers to the knowledge and understanding that consumers have about their rights, the products and services they purchase, and the mechanisms available for addressing issues related to consumption. Increased consumer awareness empowers individuals to make informed choices, seek redress for grievances, and hold businesses accountable.
POINTS FOR CONSUMER AWARENESS
Purchasing under public distribution system
Ration shops, also known as Public Distribution System Outlets, provide goods at discounted prices to families with family cards. Customers should make sure that: • Goods are delivered in the right weight without being refused; • Shops have a display board in front of them that lists all the goods that are available, along with the quantity and price of each item; • Goods samples are posted for cardholders to see;
Purchasing cosmetics
When purchasing cosmetics, consumers should: • Don’t be fooled by flashy, deceptive advertising; • Verify the production and expiration dates; • Remember that colors are essentially chemicals; and • Keep in mind that the majority of the following claims are untrue. “100% Natural,” “No chemicals used,” “Oil free,” “Consult other users,” and “If you have any grievances or complaints, you can file them with the Controller of Drugs or the Local Drug Inspector,”
Purchasing medication
• Only purchases done in accordance with a registered medical practitioner’s prescription Self-medication is risky. Make sure you check the manufacturing and expiration dates, the name of the medication you bought with a prescription, and whether the Maximum Retail Price is listed on the containers for the strips. • Verifying the dosage and persistence information of medications; demanding a bill written over strips or containers with batch number and other details •You can file a grievance or complaint with the Controller of Drugs or the Local Drug Inspector.
Purchasing clothing and gold;
looking for the “Hall Mark”; noting the weight of the stones separately on bills when buying decorations made of precious stones; and obtaining and preserving purchase bills
•If you have any complaints, you can send a notification to the vendor or submit a complaint online at www.bis.org.in to the Bureau of Indian Standards.
while buying pricey silk sarees, make sure the garments can endure regular washing cycles. Request and keep invoices. Ask for the “silk mark” while making purchases. If you have any complaints, you can send a letter to the vendor or manufacturer or submit a petition in the District Consumer Forum.
Misleading advertisements
When making a new purchase or exchanging an old product, consumers should always be aware of advertisements. They should also avoid being misled by flashy, colorful ads that appear to be offering freebies or discounts, as these are not the only factors that determine a customer’s needs.
Purchase of food products
•Avoid purchasing spoiled goods. It poses a health risk. Verify the weight, manufacturer’s location, manufacturing and expiration dates, etc. •If the food is perishable, be sure it has been adequately frozen or chilled kept. • Stay away from inexpensive, colorful foods that contain dangerous coloring ingredients. • Steer clear of goods without a manufacturer’s address. In the event of an issue, you have nowhere to turn. • Steer clear of buying unbranded goods, such as oil without sealed packets.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Consumer Rights Awareness Among Rural Customers, Dr. S. Mohan and V. Suganthi, 2013. Finding out how knowledgeable rural customers were of their rights as consumers was the aim of the study. The study discovered a strong relationship between the age, marital status, amount of schooling, and monthly income of rural consumers and their comprehension of their rights as consumers. Furthermore, there is no discernable relationship between the gender, type of family, occupation, or monthly income of rural consumers and their awareness of their rights as consumers.
In 2016, Dr. Hornen Goowalla conducted research under A case study is being carried out on consumer protection in rural Assam, specifically concentrating on the Jorhat district. A survey of 400 clients was conducted. Ninety percent of respondents admitted to having felt taken advantage of by the seller at some stage. Of all people, 75% were aware of the Consumer Protection Act, while 25% were not. It was also shown that 40% of graduate respondents knew about the quality of the products, compared to 30% of postgraduate respondents.
Jamuna (2017) investigated the topic of “Consumer attitudes and awareness toward the Consumer Protection Act of 1986.” The study’s goal was to ascertain the level of customer awareness. For the study, responses about consumer responsibilities were gathered from the participants. The majority of respondents considered receiving a guarantee and warranty card as the most important thing. It was also found that 67.14% of respondents were aware of consumer forums and 53.21% of respondents said procedures were simple. The argument that the Consumer Protection Act increased consumer awareness was rejected by the majority of respondents. A quarter of the respondents said that trade had increased as a result of the Consumer Protection Act. Merely 20% of participants expressed their belief that the Consumer Protection Act increased consumers’ awareness of quality.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The study is undertaken for the following objects:
• To measure the level of awareness on consumer rights among the respondents.
• To offer valuable suggestions to improve the awareness level based on the findings of the research.
METHODOLOGY
To conduct the study on consumer awareness towards consumer rights, towards quality assurance standards, the relevant data were collected from both the primary and the secondary data. Secondary data were gathered from a variety of public sources, while primary data were gathered from general consumers using a well-structured questionnaire.
DATY ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION
The primary data were collected from 25 respondents from various age , gender, income ,education and occupation level regarding awareness about consumer protection Act.
The first basic question was asked to all respondent whether they are aware about consumer protection Act, here majority 80% respondents saying yes where as 20% respondents are not aware about it.
The above diagram shows how respondents are aware about consumer protection act. The different platforms are there to help consumers to get knowledge about the act.
The above diagram indicate that consumers are aware about various rights.
The above diagram indicates that majority 76% consumers are facing issues.
The above diagram shows various issues that consumers are facing now a days.
The above diagram indicates that majority around 80% customers are happy with consumer rights.
The above diagram indicates that how we can improve consumer awarness.
SUGGESTIONS
1.Customers should educate themselves on their rights and obligations by gathering as much information as possible from various sources. Awareness camps for both urban and rural residents should be arranged by governmental and nongovernmental organizations.
2. Consumer protection laws and rights should be properly publicized by mass media, including radio, television, newspapers, magazines, etc. Nowadays, with the advancement of information technology, awareness can be raised through a variety of new and social media platforms.
3. In order to partially prevent unethical practices by manufacturers and traders, consumers should look for standard markings such as AGMARK, ISI, BIS, etc. The government needs to stop manufacturers’ and traders’ unethical behaviour right away.
4. The complaints of the customers must be resolved in a fair amount of time and with just compensation.
CONCLUSIONS
Effective collaboration between customers, representatives, and the government is necessary to ensure the highest level of consumer enthusiasm. The government needs to take proactive steps to raise consumer awareness and make sure that everyone is fully informed of their rights.
REFERENCES
1. Dr.P.Jayasubramanian and Miss A.Vaideke,, “A Study On Consumer Awareness And Attitude Towards Consumer Protection Measures”. Indian journal of applied research, December 2012 volume: 1(issue: 12).
2. Dr.N.Sundaram and C.Balaramalingam,“Women Awareness on Consumer Rights–A Study with reference to Vellore city”. International Journal of Research in Commerce, Economics And Management, December 2013 volume No 2(issue No 12).
3. Dr Horen Goowalla, “A study on consumer protection: Its awareness among the rural people in Assam: A case study with special reference to Jorhat district of Assam”, International Journal of research and development in technology and management sciences, 2015 Vol.20 Issue 6
4. J.Deepika, D.Ratan Kumarai, “A study on awareness on legal act of consumer protection among students”, International Journal of Science And Research, 2016, Volume3 Issue Jamuna, Consumer awareness and attitudes towards consumer protection act 1986-A study with reference to consumer in Virudhinagar district,Indian Journal of Applied research, 2014, Volume 4,issue April 2017, page no 7-10