Chapter – 12

Consumer Education and Protection

In this post we have given the detailed notes of class 12 Home Science Chapter 12 (Consumer Education and Protection) in English. These notes are useful for the students who are going to appear in class 12 board exams.

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Chapter 12: Consumer Education and Protection

Introduction

• What is a consumer? We are all consumers as we buy goods and services to meet our needs and desires.  
• Consumer Issues: Sometimes, the quality of goods doesn’t match the price, or services don’t live up to expectations. This can lead to feelings of being cheated or disappointed.  
• Consumer Education: This chapter focuses on how to be an informed and efficient consumer.  

Importance of Consumer Education and Protection

• Growing Market: The production and sale of products are constantly increasing.  
• Consumer Rights: Manufacturers are responsible for providing good quality products, and consumers have the right to complain.  
• Consumer Power: Businesses are realizing the importance of satisfying consumers as their opinions drive company reputation and profits.
• Economic Changes: India’s economic growth has led to increased purchasing power and higher living standards.  
• Globalization: We are part of a global market, requiring consumers to be aware and informed.  
• Competition: The opening of the Indian market to foreign companies has led to more choices for consumers.  
• Challenges: Increased choices make it harder to select the right product, especially with issues like consumer misconduct and misleading advertising.  

Basic Concepts

• Consumer: Someone who buys goods and services for personal or family use.  
• Consumer Products: Goods manufactured or distributed for sale to consumers.
• Consumer Behaviour: The process buyers go through when making purchase decisions.  
• Consumer Forum: A place or organization where consumers can discuss consumer products, services, and related issues.  
• Consumer Footfalls: The number of consumers visiting a particular shop, store, or mall.  

Consumer Expectations

Consumers expect:

• Fair prices
• Accurate information
• Correct weight and measurement
• Authentic goods and services
• Ethical sales practices
• Quality products
• Product purity

Consumer Problems

• Low-quality goods: Identifying poor quality can be difficult due to varying manufacturing standards.  
• Adulteration: The deliberate or unintentional addition or removal of substances from a product, affecting its quality and safety.  
• Overpricing: Some sellers charge unfairly high prices, taking advantage of uninformed consumers.  
• Lack of consumer information: Many consumers are unaware of their rights and legal protections.  
• Incomplete or misleading information:
  • Inaccurate or confusing product labels  
  • Uninformative advertisements  
  • Lack of buying guides  
  • Deceptive packaging practices  
• Incorrect weights and measures: Consumers may receive less than what they paid for due to tampered scales or incorrect measuring practices.  
• Counterfeit products: Fake products can be confusing and may be of poor quality and unsafe.  
• Misleading sales promotions: Some sales promotions are deceptive and exploit consumers.  
• Problems with services: Consumers face issues with services like banking, insurance, and public utilities.  

Consumer Protection

• Consumer awareness: Consumers need to be aware of their rights and responsibilities to protect themselves from unfair market practices.
• Consumer rights: The Consumer Protection Act (CPA) 1986 recognizes six consumer rights:
  • Right to safety  
  • Right to be informed  
  • Right to choose  
  • Right to be heard  
  • Right to redress  
  • Right to consumer education  
• Standardization marks: Consumers should look for standardization marks to ensure product quality and purity.
  • ISI mark (Bureau of Indian Standards)  
  • Agmark and FPO (Government of India)  
  • Woolmark (International Wool Secretariat)  
  • Silk Mark  
  • Hallmark
  • Ecomark (environmentally friendly products)  
  • FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India)  

Consumer Responsibilities

• Stay updated on laws and regulations.  
• Be honest in transactions and make payments.  
• Research and compare products before buying.  
• Choose freely based on needs.  
• Read product labels and information.  
• Buy products with standardization marks.  
• Keep receipts and other purchase documents.  
• Understand terms and conditions when buying services.  
• Learn about consumer organizations.  

Career Skills in Consumer Studies

• Knowledge of consumer protection and redressal mechanisms.
• Communication and interpersonal skills.
• Empathy and prudence.
• Good listening skills.
• Creativity for consumer awareness programs.
• Writing skills for educational materials.  
• Knowledge of quality standards, adulteration, and consumer protection laws.

Career Options in Consumer Education and Protection

• Government organizations (Bureau of Indian Standards, Directorate of Marketing and Inspection, Ministry of Consumer Affairs).
• Voluntary organizations.  
• Corporate consumer affairs divisions.
• Market research organizations.  
• Starting a consumer organization.  
• National Consumer Helpline.  
• Consumer clubs in schools and colleges.  
• Independent consultant for consumer redressal.  
• Content developer for consumer awareness campaigns.  
• Analyst in consumer testing laboratories.  
• Consumer activist.  
• Journalism in consumer affairs.  
• Financial management assistance.  

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