Consumer rights address the relationship between consumers and the businesses that sell those goods and services. Countries around the world have made laws and passed legislation to stop businesses from unfair practices and committing frauds to gain unfair advantages. The Consumer Bill of Rights is one such law that was presented by John F. Kennedy in 1962.
This bill outlined four basic rights and then later on it was expanded to eight basic rights. The bill was a stepping stone in the movement for consumer rights.
The Right To Safety
This right is to safeguard the consumer against any injuries caused by the use of the good or service under operation as prescribed by the manufacturer. This has led to the formation of commissions and testing agencies that make sure that the products entering the market are safe for use and meet quality standards.
Product liability is the legal responsibility of the manufacturer to make the product safe. Each day every single human being comes in contact with hundreds of products. If any product is defective it can cause damage to property and/or physical injury.
If anyone gets injured by such a product they are entitled to compensation by law in their respective state. The state of Wyoming also safeguards its resident’s rights and you can hire a product liability lawyer jackson wyoming.
The Right to be Informed
This right states that the consumer should be given important information regarding the product. The company must give important details about its product so the consumer can make an informed decision.
The Right to Choose
The customer should have multiple options to choose freely from. The government takes steps to make sure the market is competitive and multiple companies are there. The government stops the monopolizing of a niche by a larger company and might even stop the acquisition of a smaller company by a larger corporation.
The Right to be Heard
The customers who are not satisfied with the products or services have the right to be heard. They are heard by their respective state attorney generals or the federal attorney general. There will be legal proceedings against a company that has provided a product or service of unsatisfactory quality violating applicable law.
Addition of four more rights
The UN in 1985, endorsed the concept of consumer rights. The United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection added four more basic rights.
The right to satisfaction of basic needs, the right to redress, the right to consumer education, the right to a healthy environment.
What You Need To Do As A Consumer
Most people tend to overlook important details of a product, they are more focused on acquiring the product. In such cases, they go after the more popular product and miss out on other great competitive products and services.
The consumer should know his own needs when choosing a product or service. For example, a thousand-dollar phone is not the best phone for someone who needs a phone for checking emails or calling 2,3 times a day, they should buy a budget phone.
The potential consumer should compare the product with other similar products. They should also read the user manual of the product so they know how to operate it correctly.
If they are signing for a service or product on a contractual basis they should read the terms of the agreement carefully and also consult an expert if they are not able to understand it.
If they are unsatisfied with a product or service they should voice their concerns immediately because it might save others from similar grievances.
