27 Becoming an Aware Consumer

Transcription

1 27 Becoming an Aware Consumer 27.1 Introduction You go to the market almost every day to buy something or the other. Some things like milk and vegetables are needed daily whereas some other things like clothes, shoes, medicines etc. are not bought so frequently. Since we all buy these things from the market, we are called consumers. When we go to the market to buy something, we find that a large number of brands are available for that item. We also see that these things are packed and priced differently. What do we do then? How do we make a choice then? In order to deal with such situations, we must know certain things about whatever we are going to buy. By knowing them, we will be able to make a good choice, save our money and meet our needs successfully. In this lesson, you will learn how to do these things so that you get your money's worth and do not get cheated Objectives After reading this lesson, you will be able to: describe a consumer; explain the need for consumer education; identify the problems faced by consumers; suggest ways overcome the consumer problems; list consumer rights and responsibilities; describe the various consumer aids available.

2 152 :: Home Science 27.3 Who is a Consumer? As we have said earlier, all of us are consumers, because we all buy goods from the market and pay for the services rendered by others. A consumer is a person who buys goods and pays for the services hired from the market Problems Faced by Consumers All of you must be buying your requirements from the market. You also must have used the services of a plumber or an electrician. Thus, you are all consumers, and as consumers you must have faced many problems. Can you identify some of them? Some of the common problems faced by the consumers are : 1. Price Variation Have you examined the price printed as maximum retail price (MRP) on a packet? The shopkeeper tells you a certain price, which may be more than the printed price. Do you then ask the shopkeeper if he is overcharging? If you do, he may say that the difference is because of local taxes. Similarly in the case of a service, one electrician may charge more than the other for the same kind of work by saying that he provides guarantee for his work. Do not be satisfied with this easy explanation. Check for yourself. Now-a-days printed prices are inclusive of all taxes although service charges vary from person to person. 2. Poor Quality Have you ever faced the problem of identifying a genuine product from duplicate products? When you go to a shop, can you find out the difference between stale or fresh bread? Have you tried to find out the difference in the quality of packed glucose biscuits and open glucose biscuits? You may notice that many times popular brand names are used for poor quality products. Stale good are sold off as fresh, specially in the cases of vegetables and fruits. 3. Adulteration You must be aware of how shopkeepers use adulteration to increase their profits. Adulteration means the addition or removal of some thing in order to lower the quality of a foodstuff. Common examples you must have come across are marble chips mixed with rice, stones mixed with dals, yellow colour in haldi powder, red colour added to red chillies to make them look better, etc.

3 Becoming an Aware Consumer :: Non-Availability, Black-marketing and Hoarding You must have seen that during the summer months, mustard oil is often in short supply. Before festivals like Dussehra and Diwali, your mother faces a lot of trouble in getting sugar and ghee from the market. Quite often, you know that the shopkeeper has sugar in the shop though he says he has none. You also know that if you pay a higher or black market price, he will sell the sugar to you. Here, the shopkeeper is hoarding the product, creating an artificial scarcity in the market and then selling the product at black market prices in order to earn a higher profit. In such cases, as a consumer, you have to shift to a different brand of the same product use an alternative to the product, e.g. use gur instead of sugar. stop using the product altogether. In each of these cases, the consumer faces a lot of difficulty and inconvenience. 5. Defective weights and measures Do you check the weights and the scale or the balance that are being used when you buy vegetables? How you ever checked the measures used for milk and kerosene? Very often the weights have a hollow bottom so that they weigh lighter than they are meant to be. Some measures have a false bottom or a hole or are dented they measure less than what you have paid for. Many times, stones are used instead of proper weights, or magnets are kept under the balance pans to cheat the consumer. 6. Misleading Advertisements and Information by the Manufacturers and Salesmen You have often heard of cases where a company is offering a free gift along with the product; for example, a plastic jar with a particular brand of tea or a steel bowl with cooking oil. But are these gifts actually free? Is their price included in the price for the product or is the original price raised to cover the cost of the gift? Quite often, the latter is the case, because the salesman s motive is only profit and not a free gift to a consumer. During festivals or at the end of a particular season, you find that there are number of sales for ready made garments, household items, sarees, woolens, etc. These sales offer heavy discounts and thus mislead the consumer into buying those articles. In reality, the consumer ends up paying more for poor quality or seconds products sold at such sales. In most of the cases, the actual price is written as discounted price after putting an exhorbitant price on the label.

4 154 :: Home Science Other deceptive practices used by manufacturers and shop-keepers are: using large, attractive packaging as in the case of toilet soaps. using large containers with a hollow base e.g., oil cans. using a brand name similar to a popular brand name, e.g., BALA resembling MALA. using a packaging similar to the packaging of a popular brand e.g., wrapping paper for bread. In all these cases, the consumers are misled and given a wrong information about these products. It is important for the consumer to be alert and check for details before making a purchase. 7. Lack of Standardized Products What do you check when you go to buy an electric iron or a pressure cooker? You must be checking the price and the safety mark on it. Do you remember reading about standardization marks? Yes, those are FPO, ISI Agmark and Woolmark. Even these are misused and written on products which are not the standard products. The problem that the consumers face is that the market is flooded with goods which are not standardized i.e., they do not bear the standardization marks. Yet the shopkeeper claims these are better and cheaper than the standardized products and is also ready to give guarantee on this aspect. Next time you go shopping, look for these marks and buy only standardized goods. 8. Problems related to services As discussed earlier most of us are aware about the problems related to goods/ products. However, the problems related to services are not given much importance by the consumers, though they get cheated by the service providers also. For example, all financial institutions like banks, loan lending agency, etc., render a lot of financial services to the consumers. All consumers deposit their hardearned money in these institutions. However, the staff manning these services are rude, unhelpful and refuse to co-operate or answer the queries of the customers. There have been cases where customers were allowed by the bank staff to withdraw money from the accounts of other customers. The other examples of faulty and incompetent services are those of builders, school authorities, cooking gas agents, telephones, sanitary, water and electricity supply authorities. House builders and school authorities make exhorbitant charges irrespective of the facilities provided by them. They also take large sums as security for which no interest is paid. Even though electricity, telephone and water

5 supply are government services, these are not provided on time or only after much persuasion. The charges for these services keep increasing steadily with little or no relationship to the increase in their quality Some Possible Solutions (1) Check the prices printed as MRP on all the goods that you purchase. Do not pay more than the printed maximum retail price. (2) Buy from reliable shops and reputed stores which will take back or replace faulty goods. These shops will not sell duplicate or inferior things. (3) Do not be tempted by sales, discounts and free gifts. (4) Buy goods with the standardization marks on them, and learn to identify these marks correctly. (5) Do not get misled by advertisements. Buy only those goods which you need. Check the price, quality, quantity etc, before finalizing the sale deal. (6) While hiring services, be careful. Check their claims, make enquiries and take guarantees. Do not pay the full amount before the work is completed. Pay only when you are satisfied with the work. (7) As far as possible, while making complaints, go with your friends and neighbours. The complaints are rectified only when a large number of people join together to create a pressure group. Activity 1. Try and recollect the problems you have faced in the market, while purchasing goods. List and compare them with the ones mentioned in the lesson. Note the action you have taken to solve them. 2. Find out from five of your friends and neighbours whether they have ever faced similar problems with the same shops and the same service providers. Check the ways they have used to tackle these problems. 3. If you and your neighbour have faced the same problem with the same person (eg. a drycleaner spoiling your and her dresses) see how both of you can join together to make sure that this does not happen again. 4. Find out atleast two brands of each of the following and give the following information. Becoming an Aware Consumer :: 155

6 156 :: Home Science Product Brand name Price Company name Standardization & address mark Haldi Powder 1 2 Sweater 1 2 Pickle 1 2 Jam 1 2 Wheat 1 2 INTEXT QUESTIONS Give one word to indicate the following: a. The person who buys goods and pays for services. b. The items that we buy from the market. c. Repair of an electric switch for which the consumer pays money. d. The term used to indicate duplicate products. e. The process of addition or removal of some thing to lower the quantity or quality of food stuffs. f. Selling goods at prices more than the actual cost at the time of shortage. g. Manufacturers informing the consumers about their product. h. Absence of this creates a problem to the consumers while selecting quality goods. i. The kind of problem the consumer faces in a bank. j. The source of correct price mentioned on the labels/packets of a product What is Consumer Education Consumer education aims at imparting knowledge and skills to help people to act as wise consumers. Consumer Education imparts knowledge and skills needed to manage consumer resources and to make consumer decisions wisely.

7 Becoming an Aware Consumer :: Importance of Consumer Education Consumer education is necessary for a number of reasons. They are: Consumer education helps you to develop the ability to decide and select things intelligently. It helps you to make appropriate decisions and not to be misled by salesmen or by advertisements. You get the knowledge about standardization marks and consumer protection laws. It motivates you to demand safe, reliable and quality products at a fair price. It makes you aware of your rights and responsiblities. It suggests various ways by which you can solve your problems Wise Buying habits We purchase everything from the daily shopping for vegetables, milk etc., to an occasional purchase such as a refrigerate or a piece of furniture. As mentioned earlier, consumers face a lot of problems in the purchase of these goods. To overcome these problems, and to get our money s worth, we need to develop some wise purchasing habits. Wise purchase means to understand what, when, where, how and how much to buy. 1. What to buy : This is the first step in the purchase of goods. Therefore, you need to make sure that You really need to buy a product. Don t buy a product just because your friend has acquired it. Do not be tempted by high sounding advertisements. They may be misleading. Go around the market before buying. There might be many companies selling different makes of the same product. Compare them on the basis of their: Price Quality Ease of use Safety Life expectancy i.e., how long the product will work satisfactorily

8 158 :: Home Science Extra features Guarantee offered. 2. Where to buy Buy from a licensed or co-operative shop only. Enquire about the shop's policy on replacing faulty goods. When buying in bulk, go to the wholesale market. 3. When to buy Buy when the shops are less crowded. Do not be rushed. Make sure you have the right product before handing over the money. It s your money after all! Buy fruits and vegetables which are in season. Buy goods like fans and woolens in the off-season because they are cheaper then. 4. How to buy Read the information given on the package as well as the accompanying literature to know about: The date of manufacture The date of expiry (incase of food products, medicine, cosmetics, etc.) Ingredients Instructions regarding use Precautions, etc. Buy goods in sealed containers, packets and bags. Look for the standardization marks on the pack and the labels of the products. Marks ISI FPO Agmark Woolmark Ensure Quality of Electrical goods, chemicals, toys, pressure cookers, edible oils, biscuits etc. Tinned fruits and vegetables, juices, jams, sauces, etc. Packed spices, cereals, flour, pulses, masala, etc. Wool and woollen garments

9 There is no need to carry large amounts of cash. Many shops accept payment through cheques or credit cards. Make sure of this beforehand. Make cash purchases because buying on credit proves to be costlier. When buying on credit, check to ensure terms beforehand to avoid paying black market prices. Insist on a cash memo. You can use it for replacing a faulty product or while making a complaint. Double check when the shopkeeper doesn t charge you sales tax. 5. How much to buy How much to buy depends upon the needs of the family as well as on other factors. Do you remember reading about food being perishable, semi-perishable and non-perishable? Non-perishables such as wheat and rice can be bought in bulk when in season and safely stored. Semi-perishables like wheat flour, suji, maida, etc. can be bought in quantities enough to last a month or so. Perishables like fruits and vegetables should be bought only in quantities which can be consumed the same day or within a very short period. INTEXT QUESTIONS Match Column A with Column B: Column A Column B (i) A consumer should buy from (a) When the shops are less crowded. (ii) The quantity to be bought (b) Consumer Protection laws. (iii) The best time to buy is (c) Licensed shops only. (iv) A consumer should know (d) Depends upon the requirement of the family (v) Payment of goods can also (e) When genuine discounts be made through are offered by shopkeepers vi) (f) Cheques vii) (g) Co-operative stores viii) (h) Credit cards Becoming an Aware Consumer :: 159

10 160 :: Home Science 27.7 Your Rights as a Consumer A knowledge of consumer rights will help you to fight against the various malpractices used by salesmen and manufacturers. What are these rights? Let us find out. (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) The right to safety: You have a right to be protected against all harmful products, e.g., adulterated food or unsafe electrical appliances. The right to be informed: This refers to the right to be given adequate information about the various products like quality, purity, potency, ingredients, prices etc. The right to choose: A variety of products at a reasonable price should be available to the consumer to choose from. The right to be heard: This means the rights to make a representation against any malpractice. The seller is also expected to hear the problems of the consumer. The right to redressal: This means the right to a fair settlement and compensation for faulty goods or services. One of the most common ways of redressal is writing to the newspapers and consumer magazines. Now-adays consumer courts are set up to hear the complaints from the consumers. The right to consumer education: This refers to the right to acquire the knowledge and abilities necessary for making wise and intelligent choices when purchasing. Even the government has realized that consumers have a number of rights and they should be given due importance. Therefore, Every year, March 15th is observed as World Consumer Rights Day Your Responsibilities as a Consumer Just as you, as consumers have rights, youalso have some responsibilities. They are: 1. A Consumer must get bills and receipts for all purchases. As a wise consumer you will also maintain records and guarantee cards to prevent any malpractice. 2. At the time of shortage of any products, as in the case of milk in summer, you must be ready to buy less and share the amount available equally with others. You should not encourage blackmarketing or hoarding. It is best to avoid wastage of anything and discourage excess consumption of those goods which are in short supply.

11 3. At the time of complaint, all consumers need to join hands with fellow-consumers against the sellers. 4. If you find that you are being cheated you should make complaint in a wellorganised way. Consumer associations like the Consumer Forum and the Consumer Disputes Redressel Forum are well equipped to deal with these problems Aids to Help You Who helps you in making purchases? Where do you get the information from? A lot of us get information from friends and other people. Sometimes, shopkeepers help us to take a decision, and many times advertisements in magazines or on the television influence our decision. All the things that help a consumer are called consumer aids. A Consumer aid is anything written or illustrated that helps and guides a consumer in selecting a product he/she wants to buy. A number of aids are available to a consumer. These are : Becoming an Aware Consumer :: 161 (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (i) Standardization marks Labels and catalogues Packages Advertisements Legislation Consumer Associations and Cooperatives Standardization Marks You have already read about these in Book1. Go back and read it once again. Discuss these marks. Do you recognize the marks given below? Quality marks as seen on some products Do not get carried away by these marks alone because they are misused by the manufacturers. You should also look for the standard numbers given along with these marks. For example look for marks and the number as mentioned below

12 162 :: Home Science Correct quality marks In addition to these quality marks on the products, some companies are given ISO 9000 certification marks, for the quality system practiced in their manufacturing processes. ISO 9000 certification is given to the companies delivering the products or services of desired quality. (ii) Labels and Catalogues These are generally provided to you when you go to buy a product. They are engraved or printed on or attached to the product. Labels are required to give the following information (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j) (k) (l) (iii) Name of the product Trade and brand name Manufacturer s name and address Contents/ingredients Use of the product Directions for using the product Warnings and precautions to be kept in mind while using the product Date of manufacture and date of expiry in the case of medicines/tonics etc. Dosage in the case of medicines and tonics Guarantee period Standardization mark Product price (MRP) Packages Most of the products you buy are packed in a wrapper or a container. The package helps you by protecting the product in a number of ways as mentioned below (a) (b) It protects the product from damage (e.g., medicines) and spoilage (e.g., fruit juices, milk etc.) It protects the product from breakage (e.g., chinaware)

13 Becoming an Aware Consumer :: 163 (c) (d) (e) It prevents adulteration (e.g., ghee) It prevents pilferage (e.g., oil in sealed tins) It helps in transportation and storage (e.g., atta). In addition to these, the manufacturer makes use of the packages to attract you. For example, the use of attractive animal pictures etc. on packages of toffees, chocolates, toys, biscuits, etc., to attract children. But you should check whether these packages are safe and do not affect your health. (iv) Advertisements A manufacturer usually advertises to inform you about the product. Advertisement gives information about the use, availability, special features, etc., of the product. Nowadays, almost all products are advertised, using a number of media like newspapers, magazines, radio, television etc. But you should understand that the motive behind these advertisements is only to sell the products. You should, therefore, analyse them well and take only the necessary and useful information. (v) Legislation Certain laws have been passed by the government to protect your interests. For example: Fruit Products order (FPO) Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Consumer Protection Act, 1986 (CPA) The Consumer Protection Act covers all goods and services whether produced in the private or the public sector. Consumer courts are set up under this act and the con make your complaint in these courts. (vi) Consumer Organisations The consumer organizations help you in various ways. They Provide information Test products for their quality and defects, accept complaint from consumers to represent them in consumer courts. Work for the welfare of the consumers. Guide the government to formulate consumer related policies. Educate the consumers on various issues. Arrange and conduct protests against anti consumer activities. In your area also, there may be a consumer organisation. Go and visit them and get more details about their activities.

14 164 :: Home Science INTEXT QUESTION State the major rights of a consumer. 2. List any three responsiblities of a consumer. 3. List five aids available to a consumer. 4. State the information that is required to be given on a label for jam bottle, medicine strip, electric iron, and a woolen sweater. 5. Discuss the role of a consumer organisation in helping the consumer. 6. Fill in the blanks with the correct word from those given below: (a) The cost of a product is given on.. and... (b) (c) Activity Detailed information about the product is given in the Packing products prevents... (d) Advertisements are given on and Television, label, radio, catalogue, breakage, damage, packages. (i) Survey your nearest market and identify at least three products each with the following quality marks (a) ISI (b) FPO (c) Wool mark (d) Agmark. (ii) Prepare a label for a product with each of these quality marks (a) ISI (b) FPO (c) Agmark Look for advertisements of an ISO 9000 certified company in the following categories. (a) Product (b) Service

15 Becoming an Aware Consumer :: What You Have Learnt Consumer needs Consumer Education Develops Wise Purchasing Habits of Faces Problems Price variation Poor quality Adulteration Non availability/ hoarding Defective weights and measures Misleading Information Non Standardised Products What Where When How How much to buy by using Consumer Aids Standardisation Labels Packages Advertisements Legislation Consumer marks and Associations catalogues Can Use Consumer Rights Right to Safety Information Redressal Be heard Consumer Education

16 166 :: Home Science Terminal Exercise 1. Define the following in your own wordsa. Consumer b. Consumer education c. Wise Purchase d. Consumer aids 2. a. List and explain briefly any four problems faced by the consumers in the following categories a. Products b. Services b. Suggest any four ways by which a consumer can overcome the problems. 3. Why do you consider consumer education to be important? Discuss briefly. 4. What are consumer rights? Explain them. 5. What are the various responsibilities of a consumer? 6. Discuss the various wise purchasing habits. 7. Prepare a list of the various aids available to a consumer. Explain any two of them in detail. 8. How does a consumer organisation helps the consumers in solving their problems? 9. Prepare a list of four standardization marks. Write how they are used correctly and incorrectly Answers to Intext Questions a. Consumer b. Consumer goods c. Services charges d. Poor quality e. Adulteration f. Black marketing g. Advertising h. Standardization marks i. Service relate j. MRP (i) (c) and (g) (ii) d (iii) a and (e) (iv) (b) (v) (f) and (h) Refer to section Refer to section Refer to section Refer to section Refer to section (a) Label and packages. (b) catalogue (c) breakage and damage (d) Television, radio, news paper.