Consumer Bill of rights

Consumer Bill of Rights

Consumer Bill of Rights

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Consumer Bill of Rights

Consumers take many risks when they purchase a product or a service. The consumer can fall prey to deceptive marketing schemes or purchase an inferior product. In order to protect the consumer the Consumer Bill of Rights was created in 1962 by the Kennedy Administration establishing four consumer rights. The first four consumer rights established by John F. Kennedy are the right to safety, the right to choose, right to information, and the right to be heard. In 1985 two more rights were added to this list of rights (CUTS, 2009). They include the right to education and right to service. The goal of these rights was to ensure the consumer receives truthful information about the product and a fair price.

The first right, the right to safety, is designed to ensure the consumer is not given a product or service that can cause them harm. In 1972 the federal government established the Consumer Product Safety Act which is designed to establish standards and to conduct tests to ensure the product will not cause harm to the consumer (Popkin, 2011). Products potentially creating a danger must contain a warning label. Products found to be harmful to the consumer will be recalled. The company will be required to pull the product from the shelf. This right ensures consumers do not waste money on a harmful product.

The second right afforded to the consumer in the Consumer Bill of Rights is the right to choose. What this means is the consumer has the right to a large selection of products instead of just being forced to buy one product. When there is not a large selection of products the consumer is forced to pay a high price for the product. If there is a selection the consumer has a choice. The third right afforded the consumer is the right for information. This means the consumer has the right to be informed about the product. Businesses are required to provide a label on products to ensure accurate information.

The fourth right guaranteed the consumer is the right to be heard. What this means is a consumer is provided with an opportunity to express their opinion about a product (Popin, 2011). This means consumers can legally speak out against a company or a product or they can create consumer reporting measures that inform the public about the product. For example the Better Business Bureau is a business established for the sole purpose of informing consumers about public opinion on products and businesses. The BBB will either report positive feedback or they will report negative feedback on the product. Consumers can use this venue in order to research the product they want to buy. This is especially important when making large, expense purchases, such a refrigerators, or automobiles.

The fifth right was not an original right of the Consumer Bill of Rights but was added by the United Nations along with the six right of the consumer. The fifth right of the consumer is education. Education means the consumer has the right to directions or informational materials that will assist the consumer in understanding how to operate the product. For example if a product does not come assembled then the business must provide directions on how the product must be assembled.

Other informational information must be provided for the product as well and include information about the products, such as what comes with the product. This right is important because when the consumer is not informed they can make a poor choice. If the consumer is trying to decide between two products the information they are provided will help them in making their choice.

The sixth and final right of the consumer is the right to service. The right to service means the consumer has the right to be treated with dignity and respect and is given a place to complain or inquire about the product. Businesses must provide customer support that respond to the need of the consumer and treat them well. For example if a consumer is unhappy with a product they received from a business they should not be treated poorly because they complain about the product but instead the business should respond to the complaint with respect and take steps to resolve the issue.

The Consumer Bill of Rights was designed to ensure consumers were no longer subject to poor or dangerous products. Consumer rights established the concept that consumers deserve rights and legal protection when making purchases. Since the establishment of these rights the consumer has greater protection and less risk when purchasing a product. Without these rights businesses could provide consumers with any product no matter how dangerous or inferior.

References

Consumer Unity & Trust Society. (2009). Consumer Rights and Its Expansion. Retrieved

September 23, 2014 from http://www.cuts-international.org/consumer-rights.htm

Popkin, B. (2011). The New Consumer Bill Of Rights. Retrieved September 23, 2014 from

http://consumerist.com/2011/10/13/the-conscious-consumers-bill-of-rights/