Consumerism is the idea that increasing the consumption of goods and services purchased in the market is always a desirable goal and that a person’s well-being and happiness depend fundamentally on obtaining consumer goods and material possessions. Consumerism can be defined as a psycho-social expression of the intersection between the structural and the individual within the realm of consumption (the process of consuming things). The consuming experience is psychosocial in the sense that it represents a bridge that links the individual and society.

• Consumerism is the theory that individuals who consume goods and services in large quantities will be better off.
• Some economists believe that consumer spending stimulates production and economic growth.
• Economists view consumption as fulfilling biological needs and wants based on maximizing utility.
• Sociologists instead view consumption as additionally about fulfilling socially-inscribed needs and wants via symbolic transactions.
• Hyper-consumerism has been widely criticized for its economic, social, environmental, and psychological consequences.

In the good olden days, the principle of caveat emptor’, which meant buyer beware, governed the relationship between the seller and the buyer. In the era of open markets, buyer and seller came face  to  face,  seller exhibited his  goods,  buyer thoroughly examined them, and then purchased them. It was assumed that he would use all care and skill while entering into transactions.

The maxim relieved the seller of the obligation to make disclosures about the quality of the product. In addition, the personal relationship between the buyer and the seller was one of the major factors in their relationship. But with the growth of trade and globalization, the rule no longer holds true. Nowadays, most transactions are completed via correspondence, and it is impossible for the buyer to inspect the goods in person. Further, on account of the complex structure of modern goods, it is only the producer or seller who can assure the quality of the goods. With manufacturing activity becoming more organized, the producers and sellers are becoming stronger and more organized, whereas the buyers are still weak and unorganized. In the age of revolutionized information technology and with the emergence of e-commerce-related innovations, consumers are further deprived to a great extent. As a result, buyers are being misled, duped, and deceived day in and day out.

 Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, attached great importance to what he described as the “poor consumer”, who, according to him, should be the principal beneficiary of the consumer movement. He said, “A consumer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us; we are dependent on him. He is not an interruption to our work; he is the purpose of it. We are not doing a favour to a consumer by giving him an opportunity. He is doing us a favour by giving us the opportunity to serve him.”

In spite of these views, consumerism is still in its infancy in our country, thanks to the seller market and the government monopoly on most services. Consumer awareness is low due to the apathy and lack of education among the masses. No one has told them about their rights—to be informed about product quality, price, protection against unsafe products, access to variety of goods at competitive prices, consumer education, etc. What consumerism lacks here is education and information resources, testing facilities, competent leadership, price control mechanisms, and adequate quasi-judicial machinery. The providers of goods and services have been reluctant to give due consideration to consumer interest protection.

OBJECTIVES OF CONSUMERISM

“Consumerism” is also used to refer to the consumerist movement, consumer protection, or consumer activism, which seeks to protect and inform consumers by requiring such practices as honest packaging and advertising, product guarantees, and improved safety standards. In this sense, it is a movement or a set of policies aimed at regulating the products, services, methods, and standards of manufacturers, sellers, and advertisers in the interests of the buyer.

To enforce the rights of people as consumers against exploitation like poor quality, over charging, etc.

To ensure fair trade practices in society.

To ensure the avoidance of unrestricted trade practices.

To ensure cooperation between the government and producers.

To create a self-help support system where consumers voluntarily form an association for their self-protection.

To build the confidence of MNC’s in investing in developing countries.

To create healthy competition among producers.

To promote consumer organizations in society like the Consumer Guidance Society of India.

To build the confidence of international organizations like the United Nations by passing the Consumer Protection Act of 1986 according to their guidelines.

To introduce the consumer to remedial organisations like consumer courts, forums, commissions, etc.

Needs And Reasons

The need for strong consumerism in our country is due to the following reasons:

1. In a vast country like India, it is very difficult to organize the consumers. The people, besides being backward, have linguistic, cultural, and religious differences, which makes the problems quite intricate or complex.
2. The majority of our population is illiterate, uneducated, ignorant, and ill-informed.
3. Poverty, lack of social awareness, accepting life as it is, and a passive outlook are some of the factors that make consumer movement difficult to increase.
4. There may not be a positive common objective for the consumers except their desire for safe, quality products at a reasonable price and a feeling of strong negative reactions against the products. In the wake of mass production and the abundance and choice at their disposal, consumers require guidance—guidance that can only be adequately provided by a consumer organization.

5. The advertisement bombarded on the consumers make them quite confused and hence again a need for consumer guidance

Consumer’s Rights And Responsibilities

Consumer’s Rights
Consumer rights are now an integral part of our lives like a consumerist way of life. They have been well documented and much talked about. We have all made use of them at some point in our daily lives. Market resources and influences are growing by the day and so is the awareness of one’s consumer rights. These rights are well-defined and there are agencies like the government, consumer courts and voluntary organisations that work towards safeguarding them. While we all like to know about our rights and make full use of them, consumer responsibility is an area which is still not demarcated. In this chapter, I will give an overview of the 8 consumer rights, their implications and significance for a developing country like India, and also define the various aspects of consumer responsibility.

In the 20th century, the presence and influence of the market grew dramatically in consumer life. We began to purchase things from the market for a price. Soon, mass production and industrial production came into being, giving the consumer world an entirely new dimension. Have you ever wondered how much urban consumers depend on the market for fulfilment of even their basic needs? This over-dependence on the market and the inherent profit motive in mass production and sales has given manufacturers and dealers a good reason to exploit consumers. As a consumer, every one should know how market products are constantly under-weight, of inferior quality and do not prescribe to quality standards specified by quality-control agencies. Consumers not only do not get value for their money but also often have to suffer losses and inconvenience due to market manipulations.

As Under section-6 of Consumer Protection Act, consumer has the following rights:

1. Right to safety: It is Right to safety against such goods and services as are hazards to health, life and property of the consumer. For example, spurious and sub-standard drugs ; appliances made of low quality of raw material, such as, electric press, pressure cooker, etc. and low quality food products like bread, milk, jam, butter etc. Consumers have the right to safety against loss caused by such products.

2. Right to be Informed/ Right to Representation: consumer has also the right that he should be provided all those information on the basis of which he decides to buy goods or services. This information relates to quality, purity, potency, standard, date of manufacture, method of use, etc. of the commodity. Thus, producer is required to provide all these information in a proper manner, so that consumer is not cheated.

3. Right to choose: Consumer has the full right to buy good or services of his choice from among the different goods or services available in the market. In other words, no seller can influence his choice in an unfair manner. If any seller does so, it will be deemed as interference in his right to choice.

4. Right to be Heard: Consumer has the right that his complaint be heard. Under this Right the consumer can file complaint against all those things which prejudicial to his interest. First there rights mentioned above (Right to Safety; Right to be Informed; Right to choose) have relevance only if the consumer has right to file his complaint against them. These days, several large and small organisations have set up Consumer service cells with a view to providing the right to be heard to the consumer. The function of the cell is to hear the complaints of the consumers and to take adequate measures to redress them. Many newspapers like The Economic Times have weekly special columns to entertain the complaints of the consumers.

5. Right to Seek redress: This provides compensation to consumer against unfair trade practice of the seller. For instance, if the quantity and the quality of the product do not confirm to the promise of the seller, the buyer has the right to claim compensation, such as free repair of the product, taking back of the products, changing of the product by the seller.

6. Right to consumer education: Consumer education refers to educate the consumer constantly with regards to their rights. In other words, consumers must be aware of the rights they enjoy against the loss they suffer on account of goods and services purchased by them. Government has taken several measures to educate the consumers. For instance, Ministry of civil supplies publishes a quarterly magazine under the title Upbhokta Jagran. Doodarshan telecasts programme tittles Sanrakshan Upbhokta Ka.

In addition to this six rights of consumer given by govt. of India, The United Nations organisation also given two rights:

1. Right to Basic Needs: The Basic need means those goods and services which are necessary for the dignified living of people. It includes adequate food, clothing, shelter, energy, sanitation, health, care, education and transportation. All consumers have the right fulfil these basic needs.

2. Right to Healthy Environment: This right provides consumers the protection against environment pollution so that the quality of life enhanced. Not only this, it also gives stress that the need to protect the environment is for future generations as well.

Consumer’s Responsibilities

The consumers have a number of rights regarding the purchase of things, but at the same time they have some responsibilities too. It means that the consumer should keep a few things in mind while purchasing them.

They are as follows:
1. Consumer should exercise his right: Consumers have many rights with regard to the goods and services. They must be aware of their rights while buying. These rights are: Right to safety, Right to be informed, Right to representation, Right to seek redressal, Right to consumer education, etc.

2. Cautious consumer/ Do not buy blindly: The consumers should make full use of their reason while buying things. They should not take the seller’s word as final truth. In other words, while buying consumer must get information regarding the quality, quantity, price, utility etc. of goods and services.

3. Filing complaint for the redressal of genuine grievances: It is the responsibility of a consumer to approach the officer concerned there is some complaint about the goods purchased. A late complaint may find that the period of guarantee/warrantee has lapsed. Sometimes, consumers ignore the deception of businessmen. This tendency encourages corrupt business practices.

4. Consumer must be quality conscious/Do not compromise on quality: The consumers should never compromise on the quality of goods. Therefore, they should not buy inferior stuff out of greed for less prices. If the consumers behave like this, there cannot be any protection for them from any quarter. It is also the responsibility of the consumers only to buy goods with the ISI, Agmark, Woolmark, FPO etc. printed on them. All these symbols indicative of the good quality of the goods.

5. Advertisements often exaggerate/Beware of false advertisement: The seller informs the consumer about their things through the medium of advertisement. The sellers exaggerate the quality of their goods. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the consumers to recognise the truth of advertisement.

6. Do not forget to get Receipt and Guarantee/warrantee card: One should always get a receipt or bill for the things purchased. In case a guarantee/warrantee card is also offered by seller, it should also be taken. In case the goods purchased are of inferior quality or some defects appears and bothers the customers, these documents will be of great help in settling all kinds of dispute with the seller.

7. Do not buy in hurry: The first important responsibility of consumers is that they should not buy in hurry. It means that the consumers should make an estimate of the things they want to buy their along with their quantity required by them. They should also take in consideration the place from where to buy the things.

Role of Different Organizations

Role of Judiciary
In our country judiciary plays a very vital role. On recommendation of the amendment of consumer protection Act in 2000 the consumer protection councils or forums are created at district, state and national level. Under the Act there is a provision of Three-Tier Judiciary to redress the grievances of consumers in a simple, speedy and inexpensive way; namely
1. District Forum at District level
2. State Commission at State level
3. National Commission at National level

1. District Forum: According to consumer protection Act, state governments can set up one or more district forums in each District. There are three members including the presiding officer. Out of this one member must be a lady. They must have a qualification of District Judge and must be appointed by state government. Its main feature is that it can hear cases up to Rs.20 Lacs. Any appeal may go to state commission within 30 days.

2. State Commission: One state commission is appointed by the state government in each state. It also has three members out of which one is a lady member but they must have qualification of High Court Judge and should be appointed by state government. It can hear cases involving sum exceeds Rs.20 Lacs and upto Rs.1 Crore. Any appeal may go to national commission within 30 days.

3. National Commission: It is appointed by central government. It consists of five members out of which one must be a lady member. They must have qualification equivalent to Supreme Court Judge. It has a Jurisdiction to hear complaints amounting more than Rs.1 Crore. Any appeal may go to Supreme Court within 30 days.

Role of Non- Governmental organizations

In addition to government many about 500 non-governmental organizations (N.G.Os) are making efforts in order to safeguard the interest of consumer. These organizations perform the following functions:
1. Accelerating consumer awareness/Educating consumers: The first priority of consumer organization is to accelerate consumer’s awareness towards their rights. To accomplish this task which they have to perform are:
(a) To publish Brochures, Journals.
(b) To arrange seminars, conferences and workshops.
(c) To educate consumers to help themselves.
(d) To provide special education to women about consumerism.
(e) To encourage to follow desirable consumption standards.

3. Filing Suit on Behalf of consumer: Whenever a consumer fails to raise his voice of protect regarding his complaints, these organisations come to his rescue and file a case in the court. By rendering services to consumers, the consumers get a feeling that they are not alone in their fight. They also run voluntary complaints for the guidance of consumers.

4. Helping educational institutions: These organisations tell the educational institutions the way to prepare courses of study keeping in view the interest of consumers.

5. Promoting network of consumer association: Consumer organisations are trying to grow their numbers. They want to cover all regions so that consumers of all regions get benefited by their services.

6. Extending support to government: Consumer organisations by informing government agencies about adulteration, artificiality, inferior quality products etc. This helps government to conduct proceedings in time.

Role of Consumer Coordinating Council

The name of the highest body of consumer Association is consumer coordinating council. This body has started many programmes for consumer protection. The main objectives of this council are:
(a) To establish coordination among consumers for their welfare.
(b) To educate and train activists working for consumer protection.

Role of Press/Media

Whenever there is any revolution or a campaign is run for Public Awareness, News papers and journals play a very significant role. Indian Express is the first for this noble cause . Press takes following steps to make consumer protection campaign a success.
(a) To publish articles
(b) To make available columns
(c) To show live telecasts.
(d) To publish consumer complaints.

Role of Consumer Protection Council

The consumer protection council provides the establishment of a Central Consumer Protection Council by the central government and state Consumer Protection Council by state governments. The main objectives of the councils are:
1. To protect the rights of consumer
2. To promote the rights of consumer

Conclusion:

Consumerism is a collective consciousness on the part of consumers, business, government and civil society to enhance consumer satisfaction and social welfare which will in turn benefit all of them and finally make the society a better place to live in.