Chapter 23: Consumer Rights and Responsibilities Unit 8: Buying Goods and Services
Section 23.1 Consumer Rights Section Objective: Describe seven protections that are included in the Consumer Bill of Rights.
The Consumer Bill of Rights consumer rights- protections included in the Consumer Bill of Rights consumer movement- movement to pass laws protecting consumers from unfair and unsafe business practices 1962, President John F Kennedy: The Consumer Bill of Rights The Right to Be Informed Right to receive accurate information, businesses are required to provide certain details about their products, companies provide this information through product labeling. The Right to Choose US has a market economy, wide variety of goods and services, competition provides choices, the federal gov t has power to break up monopolies with antitrust laws The Right to Safety product liability is the legal responsibility that manufacturers have to make a safe product, enforced by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission
The Consumer Bill of Rights The Right to Be Heard You have the right to let the company know that you are not pleased with their product or service, businesses rely on customer satisfaction The Right to Have Problems Corrected usually if a customer takes a defective item back to a store with a receipt, the business will replace it or issue a refund; if the business doesn t fix, contact the manufacturer and then the gov t if that doesn t work The Right to Consumer Education You should know how to get the best value and satisfaction for your money, avoid bait-and-switch tactics when a buyer is tempted to buy an advertised bargain but are then persuaded to buy a more expensive item instead. The Right to Service have a right to be treated in a respectful and courteous manner, right to expect prompt delivery that meet the standard of quality a business claims, right to be served without discrimination based upon race, gender, income, or age.
Section 23.2 Consumer Responsibilities Section Objective: Describe the responsibilities of consumers.
Your Responsibilities as a Consumer The Responsibility to Be Informed know what you are buying, read the fact sheets from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, read consumer magazines The Responsibility to Choose Carefully examine the options and prices and then make an educated choice choices that affect the environment- avoid things that contribute to pollution, the contamination of air, water, and land; conservation is the process of preserving, protecting, and planning the management of resources, be aware of certain resources and adjust their consumption accordingly; recycling involves collecting products for processing so that they can be used again. The Responsibility to Use Products Safely follow the instructions provided, if you know a product i s unsafe, contact the seller or producer about it; if no action is taken, contact a consumer protection agency.
Your Responsibilities as a Consumer The Responsibility to Speak Out let a company know if they are dissatisfied with its products or policies, report unfair, unsafe, and illegal business practices, if you object to a company s policies, you can boycott (refuse to buy its goods or services). The Responsibility to Seek a Remedy If you plan to exchange an item or get a refund, you must bring back the item, the receipt, and any warranties or guarantees that came with it. The Responsibility to Learn Consumer Skills Find information to help you make consumer decisions. Read information on labels and packages. Compare prices at different stores, and look for sales. Pay attention to the media to become aware of illegal practices. Read consumer information publications. Attend classes or workshops on consumer issues and problems.