The consumer movement marks 15th March with World Consumer Rights Day every year, as a means of raising global awareness about consumer rights and needs. Celebrating the day is a chance to demand that the rights of all consumers are respected and protected, and to protest against market abuses and social injustices which undermine those rights.
World Consumer Rights Day was inspired by President John F Kennedy, who sent a special message to the US Congress on 15th March 1962, in which he formally addressed the issue of consumer rights. He was the first world leader to do so. The consumer movement first marked that date in 1983 and now uses the day every year to mobilise action on important issues and campaigns.
History
In 1962, U.S. President John F. Kennedy moved in the United States a bill for consumers rights the Congress passed it with earnest consideration. Originally, only four rights of consumers had been specified. Over the years, the consumer’s rights were finally given a much deserving concern and elevated to a position of international recognition and legitimacy. After a decade of prolong and hard lobbying, on April 9, 1985, the United Nation approved the general guidelines for consumer protection, proposed by the consumer’s international, and other consumer rights group. The U.N. had amended the original four basic consumer rights to a total of eight, which were acknowledged by its participating members.
Celebrating the World Consumer Rights Day is with a purpose to unite consumers, a large but often fragmented section of the society, and reiterate that corporations must keep in mind their responsibility and not to break their promises or otherwise abuse the consumers who are so important to their survival. The occasion receives international attention, and is often marked with group discussions and seminars related to current events, underlying problems etc. and means to get rid of them in the consumer world.
World Consumer Rights Day is an annual occasion for celebration and solidarity within the international consumer movement. Consumer rights day was first celebrated on March 15, 1983. WCD serves as an opportunity to proclaim the rights of consumers to demand respect and protection from market abuses. It serves to drive home the message the undermining the consumer rights are tantamount to social injustice.
Celebration of World Consumer Rights Day
On the World Consumer Day, several countries hold events from media conferences to conventions dealing with human rights. World leaders avail this occasion to endorse the day’s mission. In some cases new ideas for consumer protections are announced. Seminars and competitions are held to encourage the blossoming of novel ideas as regards consumer matters and World Consumer Rights Day continues to make inroads in the international community.
As an instance of the outcome of the CI’s World Consumer Rights Day we can take ‘Junk Food Generation’, a campaign launched to commemorate the organisation’s 25th anniversary. It aims to end the marketing of unhealthy junk foods for children, as this will lead to inculcate the habit of eating foods that are unhealthy and have no nutritional value. This goes a long way in the future of the younger generation as far as their physical and mental health is concerned. This is in line with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendations on the marketing of food and non-alcoholic beverages to children.
Theme
Consumers International has announced that the theme for World Consumer Rights Day 2019 will be ‘Trusted Smart Products’.
From smart phones to wearable fitness trackers, to voice-activated assistants and smart TVs, many of the products we use are increasingly becoming connected by default. This World Consumers Rights Day we will be highlighting what consumers want and need from a connected world and how important it is to put them at the heart of the development of these digital products and services.
About the theme
Smart products are connected to the internet and receive, collect and send data. Globally, there are currently 23.1 billion smart products in the world, outnumbering people three to one.
As more people come online across the world and our connection to the internet becomes better and faster, smart products will become more of a day-to-day reality for consumers everywhere, marking a major change in the way many consumers interact with products and services.
The emergence of smart technology brings many opportunities for consumers; access to new services, more responsive products, greater convenience and choice. There are, however, some significant causes for concern: lack of security, privacy and meaningful choice over how we use them, as well as a lack of clarity about who is responsible when things go wrong.
There are also issues around lack of access, with millions of people globally locked out of this new technology by overly high data charges.
World Consumer Rights Day is our chance to deliver real impact for consumers and remind the world about the importance of observing and enforcing consumer rights
