- In 1985 United Nations adopted the UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection.
- This was a tool for nations to adopt measures to protect consumers and for consumer advocacy groups to press their governments to do so.
- At the international level, this has become the foundation for consumer movement.
- Today, Consumers International has become an umbrella body of 240 organisations from over 100 countries.
- A major step taken in 1986 by the Indian government was the enactment of the Consumer Protection Act 1986, popularly known as COPRA.
- Consumers have the right to be informed about the particulars of goods and services that they purchase.
- Consumers can complain and ask for compensation or replacement if the product proves to be defective in any manner.
- In recent times, the right to information has been expanded to cover various services provided by the Government.
- In October 2005, the Government of India enacted a law, popularly known as RTI (Right to Information) Act, which ensures its citizens all the information about the functions of government departments.
- Any consumer who receives a service in whatever capacity, regardless of age, gender and nature of service, has the right to choose whether to continue to receive the service.
- Consumers have the right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices and exploitation.
- If any damage is done to a consumer, she has the right to get compensation depending on the degree of damage.
- There is a need to provide an easy and effective public system by which this can be done.
- Under COPRA, three-tier quasi-judicial machinery at the district, state and national levels were set up for redressal of consumer disputes.
- The district level court deals with the cases involving claims up to Rs 20 lakhs, the state level courts between Rs 20 lakhs and Rs 1 crore and the national level court deals with cases involving claims exceeding Rs 1 crore.
- If a case is dismissed in district level court, the consumer can also appeal in state and then in National level courts.
- Thus, the Act has enabled us as consumers to have the right to represent in the consumer courts.
- India has been observing 24 December as the National Consumers’ Day.
- It was on this day that the Indian Parliament enacted the Consumer Protection Act in 1986.
- India is one of the countries that have exclusive courts for consumer redressal.