World Consumer Rights Day 2025

• 21 Mar 2025

For Prelims: World Consumer Rights Day, National Consumer Day, Consumer Protection Act 2019, Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) 

For Mains: Safeguarding the Rights of Consumers and related issues, Government Policies & Interventions, Transparency & Accountability 

Source: PIB 

Why in News? 

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution celebrated the World Consumer Rights Day with the theme “A Just Transition to Sustainable Lifestyles.” 

• India celebrates 24^th December as National Consumer Day every year, and the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provides comprehensive legislation to strengthen consumer rights. 

World Consumer Rights Day 

• Instituted on 15^th  March 1983, the day (15th  March) commemorates President John F. Kennedy's 1962 address to the US Congress, where he became the first global leader to formally recognize consumer rights.  

What is the Consumer Protection Act, 2019? 

• About: It is a comprehensive legislation that replaced the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.  
  • It aims to strengthen consumer rights in India, addressing challenges from globalization, technology, and e-commerce.  
• Key Features: 
  • Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA): CCPA has been established to regulate matters related to unfair trade practices, misleading advertisements, and violations of consumer rights. 
  • Consumer Rights: The Act reinforces 6 consumer rights, including the right to be informed, the right to choose, and the right to seek redressal. 
  • E-Commerce Regulation: Brings e-commerce platforms under its purview, making them accountable for consumer grievances. 
  • Product Liability: Manufacturers, service providers, and sellers are held liable for defective products or services. 
  • Simplified Dispute Resolution: Provides for mediation, reducing the burden on consumer courts. 
  • Enhanced Penalties: Imposes strict penalties for false or misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices. 
  • Fast Resolution: According to Section 38(7) of the Act, consumer complaints should be resolved within 3 to 5 months, depending on the complexity of the case. 

What are the Key Initiatives to Strengthen Consumer Grievance Redressal Mechanisms? 

• E-Dakhil Portal and e-Jagriti: The E-Dakhil Portal (launched in 2020) enables consumers to file complaints online. 
  • E-Jagriti (introduced in 2024) strengthens case tracking and management, using digital interventions for a more streamlined consumer grievance redressal process. 
• National Consumer Helpline (NCH) 2.0: NCH 2.0 integrates AI-powered speech recognition, multilingual chatbots, and partnerships with 1,000+ companies to expedite grievance redressal. It supports 17 languages and is accessible via WhatsApp, SMS, Umang app, and other platforms for wider consumer outreach. 
• Consumer Welfare Fund (CWF): CWF provides financial aid to strengthen consumer rights, advocacy, and legal assistance. 
• Consumer Protection in E-Commerce and Digital Transactions: 
  • E-Commerce Rules, 2020: It mandates fair business practices, transparency in transactions, and grievance redressal mechanisms. 
  • Dark Patterns Regulation, 2023: Introduced by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to prohibit deceptive digital marketing practices like false urgency, forced actions, and hidden charges. 
• Jaago Grahak Jaago: It is a part of the consumer awareness campaign which alerts users about fraudulent URLs, empowering them to make informed e-commerce decisions. 

What are the Challenges in Consumer Protection in India & Way Forward?

Challenges	Way Forward
Awareness: Low consumer awareness about rights and redressal mechanisms.	Implement widespread consumer education campaigns, integrate consumer rights education into school curricula.
Enforcement: Consumer courts face delays in case resolution, and product liability provisions are inconsistently enforced, weakening consumer protection.	Streamline court processes, expand consumer courts, enhance alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, and improve judicial training with clear enforcement guidelines.
Digital Marketplace Issues: Challenges related to e-commerce, data privacy, and online fraud.	Strengthen e-commerce regulations, enforce data protection laws, and enhance monitoring of online transactions.
Resource Constraints: Limited resources allocated to consumer protection agencies.	Increase funding for consumer protection agencies, hire more staff, and improve infrastructure.
Regulatory Overlaps: Overlaps and conflicts between different regulatory bodies and laws.	Clarify roles and responsibilities of different regulatory bodies, streamline regulatory frameworks.

Conclusion

World Consumer Rights Day highlights the need for a transparent and fair consumer ecosystem. While India is advancing through policy reforms and digital initiatives, challenges like delayed justice, digital fraud, and regulatory gaps persist. Strengthening institutions, enhancing awareness, and leveraging technology are key to ensuring consumer empowerment and economic fairness. 

Drishti Mains Question: 

What are the major challenges in ensuring effective protection of consumer rights in India, and how can these be addressed through policy interventions and institutional reforms?

 

UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Question 

Prelims

Q.1 With reference to ‘consumers’ rights/privileges under the provisions of law in India, which of the following statements is/are correct ? (2012) 

1. Consumers are empowered to take samples for food testing. 
2. When a consumer files a complaint in any consumer forum, no fee is required to be paid. 
3. In case of death of consumer, his/her legal heir can file a complaint in the consumer forum on his/ her behalf. 

Select the correct answer using the codes given below: 

(a) 1 only 
(b) 2 and 3 only 
(c) 1 and 3 only 
(d) 1, 2 and 3 

Ans: c