Q 1. Who are Producers?
People who make goods and provide services are called producers. A producers of goods and services, we could be working in any of the sectors such as agriculture, industry or services.
Q 2. What information is needed on the packaged food?
This information is about ingredients used, price, batch number, date of manufacture, expiry date, and address of the manufacturer.
Q 3. Why do producers need to strictly follow the required safety rules and regulations?
There are many goods and services that we purchase that require special attention to safety. For example, pressure cookers have a safety valve which, if defective, can cause a serious accident. The manufacturers of the safety valve have to ensure high quality.
Q 4. What information is needed on the packed medicines?
When we buy medicines, on the packed medicines, we must find directions for proper use, information related to its side effects, risks associated with usage of that medicine, manufacturing date and expiry date.
Q 5. Why does manufacturer need to display information for the consumers?
It is because consumers have the right to be informed about the particulars of goods and services that they purchase. Consumers then complain and ask for the compensation or replacement if the product proves to be defective in any manner.
Q 6. If you want to extract information about the functions of any government department, which right would you exercise?
RTI Act (Right to Information Act)
Q 8. Give one example why right to information is needed by a consumer in the market.
If we buy a product and find it defective well within the expiry period, we can ask for a replacement. If the expiry period was not printed, the manufacturer would blame the shopkeeper and will not accept the responsibility
Q 9. Who are Consumers?
Q 9. Who are Consumers?
Consumers participate in the market when they purchase goods and services that they need. These are final goods that people as consumers use.
Q 10. What is the need of rules and regulations in the market?
Rules and regulations are needed to protect workers in unorganised sector or protect people from high interest rates charged by moneylenders in the informal sector or for protecting a consumer in the market.
Q 11. Why do individual consumers often find themselves in a weak position?
Whenever there is a complaint regarding a good or service that they had bought, the seller tries to shift all the responsibility on to the buyer.
Q 12. How can large companies with huge wealth and power manipulate the market?
At times, false information is given through media, and other sources to attract consumers. Such big companies with huge wealth and power can manipulate the market.
Q 13. Why did consumer movement arise in India?
Consumer movement arose out of the dissatisfaction of the consumers as many unfair practices were being indulged in by the sellers.
Q 14. Who does the standardisation of products at National level?
Standardisation of products is done at the national level by the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986. ISI, AGMARK, Hallmark are well known, certification marks for national standardisation.
Q 15. What efforts were done in 1970s by consumer groups?
Till 1970s, consumer organisations were largely engaged in writing articles and holding exhibitions. They formed consumer groups to look into the malpractices in rationshops and overcrowding in the road passenger transport.
Q 16. What was the status of consumer movement in 1960s?
Rampant food shortages, hoarding, black marketing, adulteration of food and edible oil gave birth to consumer movement in an organised form in 1960s.
Q 17. What is COPRA?
A major step taken in 1986 by the Indian government was the enactment of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, popularly known as COPRA to protect consumer’s interests.
Q 18. When and why was ‘Consumer International’ adopted?
In 1985, United Nations adopted the UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection. This was a tool for nations to adopt measures to protect consumers’ advocacy groups to press their governments to do so.
Q 19. What is the status of Consumer International today?
Today, Consumer International has become an umbrella body of over 250 member organisations from in 120 countries.
Q 20. Give any one example of consumer’s ‘right to choose.’
If a person wants to buy toothpaste and the shop owner says that she can sell the toothpaste only if the customer buys toothbrush. If you are not interested in buying the brush, you have right to deny.
Q 21. Why should Right to Safety be practised by the consumers?
While using many goods and services, we as consumers, have the right to be protected against the marketing of goods and delivery of services that are hazardous to life and property.
Q 22. How do the shopkeepers exploit the consumers in the markets ?
- Less weight.
- Defective product.
- Duplicate product.
- More price than MRP.
- Adulterated products.
Q 23. In India how the consumer movement originated ?
In India, the consumer movement, as a social force, originated with the necessity of protecting and promoting the interests of consumers against unethical and unfair trade practices.
Q 24. Which factors were responsible for the birth of consumer movement in an organised form in the 1960s ?
The factors responsible for the birth of consumer movement in an organised forms were as mentioned below :
- Rampant food shortages.
- Black marketing.
- Adulteration of food and edible oil.
Q 25. Which act was passed in 1986 ?
Consumer Protection Act 1986, popularly known as COPRA.
Q 26. In the case of pressure cooker which safety rule should be observed by the producer ?
Pressure cookers have a safety valve which, if it is defective, can cause a serious accident. The manufacturers of the safety valve have to ensure high quality.
Q 27. What is MRP?
MRP is maximum retail price. In fact consumers can bargain with the seller to sell at less than the MRP.
Q 28. What is RTI ? When was it passed and what is its object ?
- RTI is Right to Information Act.
- RTI was passed in October, 2005 by the Government of India.
- It ensures citizens all the information about the functions of government departments.
Q 29. What type of instructions are mentioned on medicines ? Mention any one.
Directions for use or dosage.
Q 30. Under COPRA which three-tier quasi-judicial machinery has been setup and with what jurisdiction ?
Three-tier quasi-judiciary machinery is as given below :
- District level – Cases involving claims upto ? 20 lakhs.
- State level – Cases involving claims between ? 20 lakhs and ? 1 crore.
- National level – Cases involving claims exceeding ?1 crore.
Q 31. Name some products for which it is mandatory on the part of the producers to get certified by different organisations.
For some products that affect the health and safety of consumers or of products of mass consumption like LPG cylinders, food colours and additives, cement, packaged drinking water, it is mandatory on the part of the producers to get certified by different organisations.
Q 32. Which mark is used for spices ?
Agmark.
Q 33. What is the importance of buying products with the logo ISI, Agmark or Hallmark ?
These logos and certification help consumers get assured of quality while purchasing the goods and services.
Q 34. If any damage is done to a consumer by a trader, under which consumer right one can move to consumer court to get compensation ?
Right to seek redressal.
Q 35. Which logo would you like to see for purchasing electrical goods ?
Or
Which mark is used for Gas stove ?
ISI mark.
Q 36. Suppose your parents want to purchase gold jewellary along with you, then f which logo will you look for on the jewellery ?
Hallmark.
Q 37. If you are not interested to buy a brush with toothpaste but shopkeeper denied to sell toothpaste only. In this case which consumer right is being violated by the seller
Right to choose is being violated.
Q 38. How do large companies manipulate the markets ?
The large companies with huge wealth, power and reach can manipulate the market in various ways. At times false information is passed on through media, and other sources to attract consumers.For example a company for years sold pow der milk for babies all over the world as the most scientific product claiming this to be better than mother’s milk. It took years of struggle before the company was forced to accept that it had been making false claims. Similarly, a long battle had to be fought with chert cases to make cigarette manufacturing companies accept that their product could cause cancer.
Q 39. What information should we look for while buying medicines ?
While buying medicines we should look for the information as mentioned below :
- Date of expiry because the use of medicines after its expiry date is harmful for the health of the person concerned.
- Contents of the medicines : The contents of the medicines should be as prescribed by the doctor.
- MRP : We should be careful about its price so that the shopkeeper may not charge more than MRP. Rather we should negotiate to pay less than the MRP.
Q 40. Write a short note on Consumers International.
Or
UN role in the consumer movement
In 1985, United Nations adopted the UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection. This enabled the nations all over the world to adopt measures to protect consumers. It became basis for consumer advocacy groups to press their governments to accept their demands for protection of consumers against unscrupulous traders and shopkeepers. It laid the foundation for the consumer movement. Now Consumers International is an umbrella body of 240 organisations from over 100 countries.
Q 41. Explain the redressal procedure if the consumer is denied justice.
Or
How does a consumer court compensate a consumer ? Illustrate with examples.
Consumers have the right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices and exploitation. If any damage is done to a consumer, he has the right to get compensation depending on the degree of damage. Take the example of Prakash described in the book as mentioned below :
- Prakash had sent a money order to his village for his daughter’s marriage.
- The money did not reach in time when they needed it.
- He filed a case in a district level consumer court in New Delhi because the post office had not responded to the query satisfactorily.
- He himself pleaded the case in the court.
- The court verified his documents.
- The court announced the verdict in his favour and awarded compensation to Prakash.
Thus, under above procedure the court, after hearing arguments and verifying documents, announces the verdict.
However the consumer redressal process has shortcomings as mentioned below :
- It has become cumbersome, expensive and time consuming. Consumers are required to engage lawyers.
- In most cases cash memos are not issued hence evidence is not easy to gather.
- Moreover most purchases are small retail sales.
- The existing laws are not clear about compensation.
- The consumer awareness is spreading slowly.
Q 42. Write a note on ISI, Agmark or Hallmark logo used on various commodities.
The Government of India has taken certain steps for standardisation of products through Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Agmark. BIS caters to the industrial and consumer goods, the Agmark for the agricultural products and the Hallmark is for gold jewellery. These logos and certification help consumers get an assured quality of the goods andservices. The producers can use these logos provided they follow certain quality standards.
These standards are not to be followed by all producers compulsorily. However, in cases of products of mass consumption like LPG cylinders, food colours and additives, cement, packaged drinking water, it is mandatory on the part of the producers to get them certified by these organisations.
Q 43. Write a brief note on COPRA.
The Consumer Protection Act or COPRA was enacted in 1986 to protect the interests of the consumers. The Act provides for establishment of Consumer Disputes Redressal Agencies atDistrict, State and National levels for the protection and promotion of consumer interests and to redress their grievances in a speedy, simple and inexpensive manner. It is a quasi-judicial machinery. These are known as National Consumer Commission at Delhi, State Consumer Commission and District Forum. Various claims are dealt with by these courts as given below : District Level : Up to ? 20 lakhs.State Level: Between ? 20 lakhs and ? 1 crore.National Level : Exceeding ?1 crore.If a case is dismissed in District level court, the consumer can appeal in the State and then in the National level court.The Act has been amended in 1991 and 1993. It has enabled the consumers to have the right to represent in the consumer courts. The Act has also led to setting up of separate departmentsof Consumer Affairs in Central and State Governments which locus exclusively on the rights of the consumers. Thus, COPRA is an important step in the consumer movement in India.
Q 44. How can money easily exchange it for goods or services? Give example toexplain.
Money acts easier to exchange for goods and services:
(i) A person holding money can easily exchange it for any commodity or service that he or she might want.
(ii) Everyone prefers to receive payments in money and exchange the money for things they want.
- For example: A shoemaker wants to sell shoes in the market and buy wheat. The shoemaker will first exchange shoes for money and then exchange the money for wheat. If the shoemaker had to directly exchange shoes for wheat without the use of money. He would have to look for a wheat growing farmer who not only wants to sell wheat but also wants to buy the shoe in exchange. Both the parties have to agree to sell and buy each other’s commodities. This process is very difficult, time consuming and unhealthy.
Q 45. “Consumer awareness is essential to avoid exploitation in the market place.”Support the statement.
Consumer awareness to avoid exploitation: Consumer awareness is essential to avoid exploitation in the market place. Market do not work in a fair manner. Exploitation happen in various ways. Therefore, awareness is essential. Certain details are given on the packing. When we buy medicines, on the packets details are marked. Rules have been made so that the manufacturer displays the information. Consumers can complain and ask for compensation or replacement of the product, if proves to be defective in any manner.
Q 46. How are consumers exploited in the market place? Explain
Consumers are exploited in the market place in following ways:
(i) Weigh less than what they should. Absence of expiry date on products.
(ii) Traders add charges that were not mentioned before. Rough behaviour of shopkeepers.
(iii) Traders sell adulterated or defective goods.
(iv) False information is passed through the media and other sources to attract consumers.
Q 47. Why are rules and regulations required for the protection of consumers in the marketplace? Justify the statement with arguments.
Rules and regulations are required in the market place for the following reasons:
- Individual consumers often find themselves in a weak position, whenever there is a complaint regarding a good or service that had been bought. The seller tries to shift all the responsibility on to the buyer as if the seller has no responsibility once a sale is completed.
- To check exploitation in the market place that happens in various ways. For example, unfair trade practices such as when shopkeepers weigh less than what they should or when traders add charges that were not mentioned before or when adulterated goods are sold.
- Markets do not work in a fair manner when producers are few and powerful whereas consumers purchase in small amounts and are scattered. Large companies sometimes manipulate the market in various ways.
For example, at times false information is passed on through media to attract consumers. - False and incomplete information. Sellers easily mislead consumers by giving wrong information about a product, its price, quality, reliability, lifecycle, expiry date, durability, its effect on health, environment, safety and security, maintenance cost involved and terms and conditions of purchase. Cosmetics, drugs and electronic goods are common examples where consumers face such problems. For example, At times false information is passed on through media to attract consumers.
Hence there is a need for rules and regulations to ensure protection of the consumers.
Q 48. Governments initiate schemes and programmes to alleviate the suffering of the poor and meet their basic needs.’
- Identify the fundamental right which is related to the Statement.
- But poverty remains in the country. What could be the reason for such a situation?
- Right to Equality
- The situation of poverty remains unchanged despite government’s initiatives because every citizen does not participate directly in competitive politics and the problems and need of the public, especially the poor are not duly represented. People may not have the desire, the need or the skill to take part in direct political activity other than voting. Sometimes people act together without forming any organization, which indirectly helps people to reach the government to listen to their demand or point of view.
Q 49. Explain the ‘Right to seek redressal’ with an example.
Or
Explain with an example how you can use the right to seek redressal.
Right to seek redressal:
- The consumers can seek redressal against trade practices of exploitation and have the right to fair settlement of the genuine grievances.
- He has a right to get compensation from a manufacturer/trader if he is harmed. The consumer can seek redressal through Consumer Courts functioning at district, state and national levels.
Example: Mahesh sent a money order to his village for his mother’s medical treatment. The money did not reach his mother at the time when she needed it and reached months later. Mahesh, thus filed a case in the district level consumer court to seek redressal.
Q 50. How do ‘Consumer Protection Councils’ help consumers? Explain three ways.
The consumer movement led to the formation of various organizations locally known as ‘Consumer forums’. These are voluntary organizations.
- They guide consumers on how to file cases in the consumer courts.
- They represent consumers in the consumer courts.
- These voluntary organizations receive financial support from the government for creating awareness among the consumers.