The art of purchase: A wake up call for consumers

Campaign launched to make consumers aware of their rights.

MULTAN:

The district consumer’s protection council (DCPC) is moving ahead with its ‘wake up consumer’ campaign in the area. DCPC officials said that they were pondering over ways to expedite the campaign and ensure that the maximum number of people were aware of their rights as consumers.

DCPC officials said that there had been severe resistance against the campaign as many manufacturers and business owners had protested against their efforts.

DCPC secretary Saqif Raheel addressed a seminar here on Saturday and said that the council had embarked on an endeavor to convince people to move the DCPC or the consumer courts if they found themselves cheated or fleeced by any shopkeeper or businessman after a purchase.

“Naturally there has been a lot of resistance. Businessmen and traders don’t want consumers to know about fixed rates and to file cases against them when they are fleeced. It’s bad for business but in the long run it will help us restore faith between consumers and business owners,” he said.

Raheel said that edible items, medicines, petroleum products, textile and hosiery products, electronics, vehicles, building material, health, education, engineering, legal assistance, banks, television, radio, water, electricity, gas, Internet and mobile phone service providers also come under the ambit of the Consumer Protection Act, 2005.

“The law is meant to protect consumers’ rights in case of a purchase of fake, substandard products or any injustice related to the purchase by businesses,” Saqif said.  Saqif said that people should also file a complaint in cases where they see blatantly false advertising. “Advertising claims should be within reason and if they are not those ads ought to be taken off the air. This can only be done if there is a complaint,” he said.

Saqif said that consumers needed to begin filing and registering their complaints. “This is the only way the system will change. We need feedback and we now have a legal framework to punish corrupt businessmen or shop owners,” he said.

No fee is charged for filing a complaint and Saqif also encouraged consumers to file complaints against false advertising and poor treatment of customers by clerks. “Consumers should get a receipt at the time of purchase. I especially encourage them to note the time and date of a purchase they have doubts about.

That is the only way the complaint will hold up in court,” he said. The receipt should mention the date, name and address of the shopkeeper, details of the item or items purchased and the price of each item.

“I never knew that I had the right to pursue a case against corrupt shopkeepers. Shopkeepers fleece customers every day because they know that they won’t face any consequences. I will keep track of my purchases now because these people need to know that they are being monitored,” said shopper Hadia.

Shopkeepers, businessmen or organizations can face a fine ranging from Rs5,000 to Rs100,000 and imprisonment from one month to two years provided the consumer proves his/her case beyond any reasonable doubt.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 8^th, 2011.