The Importance of Consumer Movement Essay with Outline

The Importance of Consumer Movement Essay Outline:

1. The importance of the consumer. Theoretically, the manufacturer and the businessmen exist for the consumer. His wishes should reign supreme in the field of production.
2. The poor status of the consumer in the Pakistani economy. In reality, the consumer in Pakistan is at the mercy of unscrupulous traders. The consumer is cheated in all possible ways. He is given spurious goods. He is overcharged. He is made a victim of false scarcities.
3. Why the consumer is exploited. Pakistan is a developing economy, the demand always exceeds the supply. Besides, our consumers are an illiterate lot. Litigation is costly and the consumers do not feel inclined to enter into a well-pitched battle against the businessmen.
4. Time is ripe for a consumer movement. Consumers should become vigilant. Consumer organizations should be set up. Free legal aid should be given to such organizations. The Government should make stringent laws against erring traders.
Theoretically speaking the consumer should be held supreme in any economy. It is his ultimate satisfaction that matters. His taste, his style of living, his requirements, his financial standing are the major factors that determine the shape of the economy. Howsoever good or useful a product might be, if it fails to catch the fancy of the consumer, it is just doomed. But sometimes some virtually ridiculous products come into vogue and earn a fortune for their producers. For a manufacturer, thus the consumer is not less than a god. While addressing a group of businessmen, a customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is a part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so.

The Importance of Consumer Movement Essay 1000-1500 Words

Introduction:

Consumer movements play a vital role in standing up for the rights and welfare of consumers. This essay delves into the importance of consumer movements and their influence on individuals and society. By tackling unfair practices, fostering transparency, and safeguarding consumer interests, these movements empower individuals to make knowledgeable choices and demand accountability from businesses. Recognizing the significance of consumer movements is key to establishing an equitable and harmonious marketplace.

Pakistani consumer is an utterly helpless fellow. He has no say in the quality or nature of goods that are sent to the market for his consumption. He is a victim of numerous malpractices. He is often made to buy adulterated or substandard goods. Second-hand goods are passed on to him as new. Dangerous goods are sold without any warning. He is misled on the quality and price of the things that he buys. Very often he falls a victim to a falsely created shortage and he is made to pay through his nose even for very ordinary goods. Clever businessmen, through glossy salesmanship, misleading advertisements, and tall claims about their products, rob the consumer of his hard-earned money. These businessmen make no scruple of selling even spurious drugs so dangerous for the life of the consumer. The consumer knows what is happening to him. But except making a loud, individual kind of protest, which has no effect on the mammon-worshipping businessmen, there is very little that he can do to check his systematic exploitation.

The fact is that ours is a developing economy in which demand is always ahead of supplies. The manufacturers know that however poor the quality of their goods maybe, they will be able to sell whatever they produce. So in defiance of all ethical considerations, they keep on producing poor-quality goods. Since a majority of our consumers, particularly in the rural areas, are illiterate, they are not able to distinguish between the genuine and the spurious or the good and the bad. It is mainly these consumers who suffer at the hands of unscrupulous businessmen. Our consumers also suffer from a total absence of awareness. They know nothing about their rights. They are ignorant of the laws. First of all, the laws on trademarks, essential commodities, drugs, weights, and measures, etc. are not very effective. Secondly, the standard of morals in our country being what it is, the businessmen do not find it difficult to steer clear of laws through greasing the palms of the inspection staff. Besides, litigation is such a costly and time-consuming affair that no consumer has the courage and patience to throw cudgels on behalf of his ever suffering community.

But time is now ripe for a well-organized consumer movement. Consumers should no longer take things lying down. They should know their rights and fight for them. They should be vigilant so that they do not walk into the traps laid by clever businessmen. If artificial scarcities are created and there are rumors about the non-availability of certain goods, they should not get unnecessarily panicky. Instead, they should try other substitutes. They should also help in the evolution of an efficient distribution system so Instead, they should try other substitutes. They should also help in the evolution of an efficient distribution system so that the goods that are available are able to reach all the people. If the consumers feel that there is an indiscreet hike in prices, they should resist it; if they come across a black marketer, instead of patronizing him, they should expose him and force the authorities to take appropriate legal action against him. Some consumer organizations in some parts of the country have already been functioning for some time. Their hands should be strengthened. Enlightened men in the legal profession should offer free legal aid to such organizations. If the Government provides for stringent punishment to erring traders, it will go a long way in strengthening the consumer movement.

Need and Importance of Consumer Movements as Social Force

The need and importance of consumer movements as a social force in Pakistan arose from consumer dissatisfaction with unfair practices by sellers. Consumers lacked a legal system to protect them from exploitation in the marketplace. When unhappy with a brand or shop, consumers would often avoid purchasing from them. It was believed that consumers should be cautious when buying goods or services. It took years for organizations in Pakistan and worldwide to raise awareness about consumer rights, shifting the responsibility of ensuring quality onto sellers.

In the 1960s, the consumer movement in Pakistan emerged to protect and promote consumer interests against unethical trade practices like food shortages, hoarding, and adulteration. Consumer organizations primarily focused on writing articles and organizing exhibitions until the 1970s. They also formed consumer groups to address issues in ration shops and overcrowded public transport. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of consumer groups in Pakistan.

These efforts have successfully exerted pressure on businesses and the government to rectify unfair business conduct that goes against consumer interests. In 1986, the Consumer Protection Act, also known as COPRA, was enacted by the Pakistani government. It aimed to safeguard consumer rights.

At the international level, the United Nations adopted the UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection in 1985, providing a framework for nations to protect consumers. This became the foundation for the global consumer movement. Consumers International now serves as an umbrella organization for over 220 member organizations from 115 countries, working towards consumer protection and advocacy.