[Commerce Class Notes] on Consumer Organizations and NGOs Pdf for Exam

Consumer organizations are the focused group that seek to protect people from the corporate abuse led by the business owners – like unsafe products, predatory lending, false advertising and pollution to the environment. Consumer Organizations may even operate through the protests.

Today, consumer organisations are playing a dominating role in engaging the consumers to lift their voice against exploitation by the business individual who sells inferior and faulty products. In educational institutions also consumer rights are taught, to prepare the student’s courses of study by keeping in view the interests of the consumers in the society. In our discussion, we are going to know about the consumer protection forums that operate in India.

Consumer Organizations

In the capitalistic system of the Market or economy privatization is the basic mode of production. And consumers remain as individuals responsible for their choice of products. With the growing times, these manufacturing companies become big organized houses having a considerable command over all the products available in the market. Unlike entities controlled by the democratic or other forms of government the motive of such private enterprises is only to make a profit. So there have been instances of manipulation and adulteration of products as an insincere way of earning money. Or sometimes they indulge in the methods of dissemination of misinformation to a consumer and exploit them for their hard-earned money. This is more common in scenarios where products are services provided by any privately-owned companies. In such settings, victims often find themselves helpless against such business entities for the reclamation of their lost money or remediation of their misery. By the late 19th century various movements started to emerge for the protection of consumers from giant corporate houses. These movements translate into Consumer Organizations all over the world. Such groups were meant to be the voice of general consumers getting abused of any kind. They often take the course of litigation, protest, campaign or other means of peaceful actions. 

In India, there are also many Consumer Organizations working for the cause of customers getting abused by manufacturers or service providers. To give an illustration the names of organizations are Akhil Bhartiya Grahak Panchayat, Consumer Guidance Society of India, All India Consumer Protection Organization, The Consumers Eye India, United India Consumer’s Association, Grahak Shakti, Coordinated Action of Consumer & Voluntary Organizations, Consortium of South India Consumer Organizations (COSICO), Consumer Awareness, Protection and Education Council (Cape Council), Consortium of South India Consumer Organizations (COSICO). The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, has also started a consumer awareness program called ‘Jago Grahak Jago’.

These Non-governmental Organizations are also always active by collecting data and survey reports of the product tests and for the user experience of various products and services. The information gathered helps them to find any corrupt practices in the market and generate awareness about the same.