International Journal of Home Science 2021; 7(3): 23-24

ISSN: 2395-7476
IJHS 2021; 7(3): 23-24
© 2021 IJHS
[Link]
Study on prevention of consumer from exploitation in
Received: 16-06-2021 market
Accepted: 18-08-2021

Preet Gill
MSC. Student, Department of
Preet Gill and Dr. Kavita Dua
Family Resource Management
I.C. College of Home Science Abstract
Chaudhary Charan Singh This paper aims to identify the ways how to prevent consumer from exploitation in the market. The
Haryana Agriculture University present study is initiated to determine the local consumer awareness on the consumer rights and
Hisar, Haryana, India protection act; it is still a common practice that businessmen exploit the consumer with regard to quality,
quantity, weight, price and the related factor involved in the daily business transaction. Ignorance is one
Dr. Kavita Dua
of the prominent factors contributing in the exploitation of rural masses.
Assistant Professor, Department
of Family Resources
Keywords: consumer, exploitation, consumer rights, consumer protection act
Management I.C. College of
Home Science Chaudhary
Charan Singh Haryana 1. Introduction
Agriculture University Hisar, The term consumer refers to that consumer display in searching, for purchasing, using,
Haryana, India evaluating and disposing of product and service that they expect will satisfy their needs. The
study of the consumer behavior is the study of how the individual make decision to spend their
available resource (time, money, effort) on consumption related items. It include the study
what they buy, why they buy, when they buy, where they buy, how buy and how often they
use it. One of the most important constant among all of us, despite the difference is that the
consumer use or consume on regular basis food, clothing, shelter, transportation, Education,
equipment, vacation, necessities luxuries service. Consumer plays a vital role in the health of
the economy – local, national and international (Nagaraja, 2004) [8].
In India, National Consumer Day is observed on 24th December with specific themes as the
Consumer Protection Act commenced on that day in the year 1986. The main aim of this act is
to protect the interest of the consumer in India and provide redressal to grievances of the
consumers and thereby aid fair trade practices. (Sybms, 2019) [11].

1.1 Forms of consumer exploitation

Some of the common methods adopted by the manufacturers and traders to exploit the
consumer are as follows:
1. Underweight or under-measurement 2. Goods or services of substandard quality 3. Over
pricing 4. Articles harmful for health 5. Unsatisfactory after-sales services 6. Sale not in
accordance with predetermined conditions 7. Scarcity in service sector. 8. Rough behavior
with the consumer and undue conditions 9. Cheating in choice 10. Faulty equipment 11.
Artificial scarcity 12. Incomplete or insufficient information. (Singh, 2015) [9].

1.2 Factors causing exploitation of consumers

Reasons or factors causing exploitation of consumers are: (1) Limited information (2) Limited
supplies (3) Limited competition (4) Low literacy (5) Lack of bargaining power (6) Irregular
prices offered (7) Misleading advertisements (8) Lack of unity and (9) Cumbersome and
time taking legal proceedings. (Chiru, 2018) [4].
Corresponding Author:
Preet Gill
MSC. Student, Department of 1.3 Solution to consumer problems
Family Resource Management Always conducting market survey and tap all the sources of information before buying a
I.C. College of Home Science products.
Chaudhary Charan Singh
Obtain bills, receipts and guarantee cards for all purchases made and keep them safely. If you
Haryana Agriculture University
Hisar, Haryana, India notice any trade cheating or using unfair trade practices do not remain quiet. Report such cases
~ 23 ~
International Journal of Home Science [Link]

to the concerned authorities. (Biggermann, 2013) [3]. Do not  Consumer Protection Act, 1986 seeks to promote and
accept irregular weights like bricks and stones. Be alert and protect the interest of consumers against deficiencies and
vigilant about the weights and measures and the procedure defects in goods or services. It also seeks to secure the
used by the seller. rights of a consumer against unfair or restrictive trade
Read labels carefully for brand names, ingredients net weight, practices. This act was passed in Lok Sabha on 9th
MRP, expiry date and standardization mark like ISI, December, 1986 and R
Hallmark, Eco Mark, FPO, Wool Mark (Gupta, 2011) [5].
Ajya Sabha on 10th December, 1986 and assented by the
1.4 Consumer Rights President of India on 24th December, 1986 and was published
Right to safety, right to be informed, right to be choose, right in the Gazette of India on 26th December, 1986. (Gupta,
to be heard, right to redressal, right to consumer education. 2011) [5].
Knowledge of these rights will help us to protect ourselves
against the various unfair practices of trades. (Sureshlal, 2. Methodology
2016) [10]. The study is exclusively based on the secondary data. The
researcher has collected the relevant data from various articles
1.5 Rise of consumer awareness and research papers.
Consumer awareness means awareness of consumers in
different aspects of consumption activities. Consumer 3. Conclusion and Suggestions
awareness is a broader and wider concept. It covers the The conclusion obtained is that there is a need for consumers
followings: to voice out against any kind of exploitation in order to
a. Consumer awareness about Maximum Retail Price contribute towards a progressive nation. Also, our country
(MRP). needs to take measures to spread awareness of consumer
b. Consumer awareness about Fair Price Shop. rights among all age groups by organizing consumer
c. Consumer awareness about price, quality and expiry date awareness campaigns thereby safeguarding rights of the
of the product. consumers and eradicating exploitation. This research paper
d. Consumer awareness about their rights and duties. can be helpful to study the need of awareness of consumer
e. Consumer awareness about certified products like ISI, rights in India and also to implement strategies and
Agmark, ISO-2000 (Ishak, 2012) [7]. methodologies to empower consumers against their
exploitation.
Consumers have to be aware not only of the commercial
aspects of sale and purchase of goods but also of the health 4. References
and security aspect. Besides this, they should be aware of 1. Agrawal M. Consumer Behaviour and Rural Marketing
their rights and duties being as rational human beings viz., in India. New Delhi, India: New Century Publications
price and quality of products used by them, about Fair Price 2009.
Shops, standardization of products, about Consumer Forums 2. Becher S, Adar Y. Administrative control and consumer
etc. Therefore, Consumer exploitation should be bought down exploitation in standard form contracts 2021.
with proper awareness to the consumers on their rights and 3. Biggemann S, Brege S. Development and
how they could go about with things, if they feel they have implementation of customer solutions: A study of process
been cheated. (Agarwal, 2009) [1]. Dynamics and market shaping 2013.
4. Chiru P. Consumer exploitation in rural market: A
1.6 Consumer exploitation in standard form contracts pragmatic study of consumers awareness on consumer
A standard form contract—or contract of adhesion—is the rights and protection act in Manipur 2018.
most prevalent type of contract that consumers enter. 5. Gupta RK, Mittal I, Gupta A. Measures for Consumer
Consumers routinely enter such contracts, which govern most Protection in India and Consumerism. RMS Journal of
business-to-consumer relationships. Consumers presumably Management & IT 2011;5:9-18.
accept the terms and conditions of multiple standard form 6. Himachalam D. Consumer Protection in India. Ambala
contracts whenever they purchase, rent, subscribe, or Cantt., India: The Associated Publishers 2006.
otherwise use a product or a service a business offers. 7. Ishak S, Zabil F. Impqct of consumer awareness and
Legislators, policymakers, courts, lawyers, and legal scholars knowledge to consumer effective behavior 2012.
have long been concerned about consumer standard form 8. Nagaraja B. Consumer behaviour in Rural Area: A micro
contracts. They recognized that these contracts—mostly level study on buying behaviour of rural consumer in
offered on a take-it-or-leave-it basis—are prone to be one- Kavali Mandal. Indian Journal of Marketing 2004.
sided and undermine consumers’ rights and interests. This 9. Singh R. New Law College, Pune Consumer Awareness
imbalance is especially pronounced over non-negotiable and 2015.
non-salient terms, which consumers do not read, understand, 10. Sureshlal B. Introduction to consumer rights and
or factor into their decision-making. (Becher, 2021) [2]. responsibilities 2016.
11. Sybms Rane V, Bele S. International journals of law; A
1.7 The consumer protection Act study of consumer rights and exploitation in India 2019.
“An Act to provide for better protection of the interests of
consumers and for that purpose to make provision for the
establishment of consumer councils and other authorities for
the settlement of consumers' disputes and for matters
connected therewith.” (According to Consumer Protection
Act, 1986). (Himachalm, 2006) [6].

~ 24 ~