Consumer Organisations and NGOs

As they say “Consumer is King” and he must also be treated as one. Businesses need to realize that while they are replaceable, consumers are not. The exploitation of consumers by companies that only chase the profit maximization motive needs to stop. India even has a Department of Consumer Affairs and many other organizations and NGOs in pursuit of consumer protection. Let us take a look.

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Consumer Organisations

To fight this bad element of the business firms, the consumer needs to stand together against them and fight for their right. Already there are various Non-Profit Organizations who are working towards these consumer affairs – Consumer Guidance Society of India, Common Cause and Voice. These organizations are dealing with the concerns faced by consumers. They have been adopting various measures to achieve this. Following are the listed measures :

• Seminars: Seminars are been conducted and even various talk shows are aired on TV and radio. These focus on the issues being faced by the consumer and how the business firm are neglecting the consumer interest and other such consumer affairs
• Print Media: Print Media has been utilized by making brochures, flyers, and advertisements and through this medium, they educate the consumer about their rights and responsibilities.
• Quality Test: Quality tests are being conducted by the organization after which they release the result and educate the consumer with the quality of the product that consumers have been using since ages. For instance, Maggi Noodles which was popular since ages and was consumed in large numbers but then it turned out that it contained led which was harmful to
• Boycotting Goods: They bring consumer true results of quality of a product and hence ask the consumer to boycott the unhealthy or defective product. This helps in capturing media attention as well.
• Legal Assistance: These consumer bodies help the consumer by providing legal advice to them or any aid required so that they know their rights and how they can fight against odds. There are legal professionals who also offer their expertise pro-bono.
• Filing Complaints: They also act as a medium wherein they file a complaint, file petition in the court of law on behalf of the consumer to help them in getting justice.
• Initiative in Public Interest: They also file cases for the general users rather than any individuals and achieve justice.
• Protesting: They start a protest on various issues which could hamper a consumer and those issues could be the adulteration of food, unnecessary rise in price, underweight product sell, a damaged product sold etc.,

Browse more Topics under Consumer Protection

• Intro & Importance of Consumer Protection
• Consumer Protection Act
• Consumer Rights/Responsibilities
• Legal Protection to Consumers

NGOs helping with Consumer Affairs

• Common Cause, Delhi
• Consumer Coordination Council Delhi
• VOICE Delhi
• CERC Ahmedabad
• CGSI Mumbai
• Mumbai Grahak Panchayat
• Karnataka Consumer Service Society

Solved Question for You

Question: Name any two Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO’s) which are working in India to protect and promote the consumer interests?

Ans: The two Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO’s) which are working in India to protect and promote the consumer interests are:

• Voluntary Organisation in Interest of Consumer Education (VOICE), Delhi
• Consumer Guidance Society of India (CGSI), Mumbai