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About 70 per cent of the urban Indians are unaware about their consumer rights even as the Government has launched its biggest ‘Jago Grahak Jago’ campaign. Most of these consumers are still ignorant, complacent and ill-informed about their rights and existing laws, according to a survey.
A survey by Assocham said that the market for counterfeit products is growing aided by web-shopping portals. Besides promotion of products and services through misleading advertisements in various media together with lack of transparency, complex terms and conditions, non-disclosure of hidden charges/fees, penalties and others are certain key concerns of modern Indian consumers.
About 4,000 people with comprising an equal number of male and female respondents at 15 centres were included in the survey.
“India Inc. is taking significant steps in this direction as companies today are serious about informing, educating and communicating with their target consumers in a bid to enhance their knowledge and awareness about products, services offered by the company and also seeking consumers’ feedback, complaints and suggestions thereby nurturing a positive culture of consumer consciousness and behaviour,” said Mr D.S. Rawat, secretary general of Assocham while releasing the chamber’s survey.
“Social media channels like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, blogs, newsfeeds and others are certain significant innovative ways that companies in various domains are using to connect with the consumers of all age group,” said Mr Rawat. “However a simple, speedy and an inexpensive consumer grievance redressal mechanism is imperative to further promote awareness levels and the authorities must perk up the system and procedure for filing complaints in consumer courts and strengthen the reach of government-led awareness campaigns across the country.”
Of the total, nearly 30 per cent of all the respondents admitted they were aware of consumer rights and majority of these said they pursued their rights as consumers only after they were mistreated, duped or cheated.
Majority of total respondents said they are unfamiliar with any rights and laws relating to consumers’ protection, though some of them said they have heard about certain consumer rights through awareness campaigns but have not found the need to learn about it as they have not encountered any such problems so far.
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