Features of Consumer Movement

The features of consumer movement can be explained with the help of the following points:-

(1) Voluntary Movement: It is a voluntary and collective movement of consumers. A group of active consumers come together and form an association to fight for the protection of consumers. It is non political and non religious association of consumers.

(2) Protection of Rights: Consumer movement improves the strength and unity of consumers. It uses this strength to make the businessman and the government to give guarantee of the products sold and to give the rights to consumers such as right to choose, right to safety, etc.

(3) Wider Term: The concept of consumer movement is not only restricted to commercial activities, but it is also extended to public utility services like banking, transport, telephone, medical, etc. According to the provision of the Consumer protection Act, 1986, the term consumer includes all types of user of goods and services.

(4) Democratic Movement: Consumer movement is powerful but democratic movement of consumers. It ensures that, the rights of consumers are recognized and protected. For taking the decision the meetings are adopted in a democratic method. It desires to end capitalist exploitation but in a democratic way.

(5) Prevention of Unethical Practice: The consumer movement prevents the adoption of unethical practice like black marketing, adulteration, under weight, etc.

(6) Safety and Security: The main object of consumerism is to ensure safety and security of consumers. It helps in promoting consumer welfare.

(7) Creating Awareness: Consumer movement aims at creating awareness and unity among consumers so that collective action can be taken against various malpractices.

(8) Caveat Venditor: It means "Let the seller beware". Before consumer movement, goods were sold with the condition "Caveat Emptor" which means "Let the buyers beware, and every buyer while buying was forced to check the goods and make sure that the goods are as desired quality. Because once goods were sold, co complaints were entertained but now seller has to be careful before selling the goods and this is all because of the consumer movement.

(9) Enforcing Consumer Rights: Consumer movement not only aims at protecting consumer rights but also aims at enforcing four basic rights of consumers, i.e. rights to safety, rights to choose, rights to redress, rights to be informed.