CONSUMER RIGHTS
It was former US
President John F Kennedy who got the ball rolling when, on
March 15, 1962, he made a historic declaration of four basic
human rights which won international recognition by governments
worldwide. These are:
The right to Safety;
The right to Be Informed;
The right to Choose; and
The right to Be Heard.
Now March 15, World Consumer Rights Day, is a day for international
consumer action, solidarity, and celebration. According
to the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection of
1985, all citizens, regardless of their income or social standing,
have certain basic rights as consumers. Since then consumer
groups worldwide have been promoting various connotations
of the list. However, they all deliver a similar universal
message based on the same basic principals. Over the
years, these rights have evolved to a total of eight.
Together, they form the basis of work by the consumer movement
worldwide.
We now have an internationally recognised and accepted ‘Consumer
Rights’ list as compiled by ‘Consumers International’
which is a leading international federation of consumer organisations
worldwide. Here follows the list:
The right to Satisfaction of Basic Needs - To have
access to basic, essential goods and services, adequate food,
clothing, shelter, health care, education and sanitation;
The right to Safety - To be protected against products,
production processes and services which are hazardous to health
or life;
The right to Be Informed - To be given the facts needed
to make an informed choice, and to be protected against dishonest
or misleading advertising and labelling;
The right to Choose - To be able to select from a range
of products and services, offered at competitive prices with
an assurance of satisfactory quality;
The right to Be Heard - To have consumer interests
represented in the making and execution of government policy,
and in the development of products and services;
The right to Redress - To receive a fair settlement
of just claims, including compensation for misrepresentation,
shoddy goods or unsatisfactory services;
The right to Consumer Education - To acquire knowledge
and skills needed to make informed, confident choices about
goods and services, while being aware of basic consumer rights
and responsibilities and how to act on them;
The right to a Healthy Environment - To live and work
in an environment which is non-threatening to the wellbeing
of present and future generations.
World Consumer Rights Day (March 15) is now observed all over
the world, further substantiating the importance of consumers’
rights.
Adrian Muscat Inglott