A consumer is anyone who pays for a product or service. As consumers, we must all be aware of our rights.
Consumers today are faced with many problems such as unsafe and unreliable products, unreasonable price increases, misleading and inaccurate advertisements and other deceptive practices. By being aware of his rights, a consumer can rest assured that he will not only get quality products and services but also that he will not be victimized by traders.
A consumer’s first right is the right of choice. The consumer should have the right to decide which product or service is best for him. The consumer also reserves the right to return or reject a product if it is not to his satisfaction or is not what he wanted.
The second is the right to be informed. Producers should be responsible enough to provide accurate information about the product or service. Consumers should have easy access to prices, expiry dates, especially for perishable goods, and also information about the ingredients used. Only then can the consumer make accurate and intelligent choices and not be beguiled by profit-minded producers.
As consumers, we should also have the right to voice our views if we are not satisfied with a product or service. Should a product be contaminated or substandard, the consumer should be in a position to voice his grouses and be ensured he will get a full refund or compensation for it.
The consumer also has the right to purchase products that are safe and reliable. The testing of products and the determining of their safety standards, such as is already being done by the quality control association, is one way of granting consumers their rights. Consumers should not be forced to make do with products that may be dangerous.
Lastly, consumers should have access to consumer education. Consumer education is important in order to create a consumer-conscious society. Consumers should be taught their rights and responsibilities.
So, boys and girls, now you are aware of your rights as consumers. Only when we assert our rights as consumers can we expect quality goods and services.
Vocabulary
deceptive misleading; cheating
perishable food or products that can go bad quickly
grouses complaints
