Consumer protection

Consumer protection is the practice of safeguarding buyers of goods and services, and the public, against unfair practices in the <a href="/facts/Marketplace/TaoHSSq2">marketplace</a>. <a href="/facts/Consumer/dMflnQGX">Consumer</a> protection measures are often established by law. Such laws are intended to prevent businesses from engaging in <a href="/facts/Fraud/VyU68aBy">fraud</a> or specified <a href="/facts/Anti-competitive_practices/W3Gt8IQR">unfair practices</a> to gain an advantage over competitors or to mislead consumers. They may also provide additional protection for the general public which may be impacted by a product (or its production) even when they are not the direct purchaser or consumer of that product. For example, government regulations may require businesses to disclose detailed information about their products—particularly in areas where public health or safety is an issue, such as with food or automobiles.
Consumer protection is linked to the idea of consumer rights and to the formation of <a href="/facts/Consumer_organization/64kn1m5V">consumer organizations</a>, which help consumers make better choices in the marketplace and pursue complaints against businesses. Entities that promote consumer protection include government organizations (such as the <a href="/facts/Federal_Trade_Commission/Hkz0PwF9">Federal Trade Commission</a> in the <a href="/facts/United_States/P0sCdLe5">United States</a>), self-regulating business organizations (such as the <a href="/facts/Better_Business_Bureau/xIoICnJB">Better Business Bureaus</a> in the US, <a href="/facts/Canada/cWWFM8oc">Canada</a>, <a href="/facts/England/U9mE5bGL">England</a>, etc.), and <a href="/facts/Non-governmental_organization/qxQSsxsI">non-governmental organizations</a> that advocate for consumer protection laws and help to ensure their enforcement (such as consumer protection agencies and watchdog groups).
A consumer is defined as someone who acquires goods or services for direct use or ownership rather than for resale or use in production and manufacturing. Consumer interests can also serve consumers, consistent with economic efficiency, but this topic is treated in competition law. Consumer protection can also be asserted via <a href="/facts/Non-governmental_organization/qxQSsxsI">non-government</a> organizations and individuals as consumer activism.
Efforts made for the protection of consumer's rights and interests are:

<ul><li>The right to satisfaction of <a href="/facts/Basic_needs/UWhz2Ham">basic needs</a></li>
<li>The right to safety</li>
<li>The right to be informed</li>
<li>The right to choose</li>
<li>The right to be heard</li>
<li>The right to redress</li>
<li>The right to <a href="/facts/Consumer_education/He2PNphN">consumer education</a></li>
<li>The <a href="/facts/Right_to_a_healthy_environment/l6SfFBwE">right to a healthy environment</a></li></ul>

Consumer protection open-in-new

Consumer protection