NATURE/FEATURE/CHARACTERISTICS OF CONSUMER MOVEMENT
Meaning: - Consumer movement is a social movement of consumers that has come into existence to educate and unite consumers to fight for protection of their rights.
Definition: - Philip Kotler and G. Armstrong “Consumerism is an organised movement of citizens and government to impose the rights and powers of buyers in relation to seller”.
Following are the some important features of Consumer Movement:
1. Voluntary movement
2. Production of rights
3. Strength of unity
4. Comprehensive term
5. Prevention of unethical practices
6. Enforcing consumer rights
1. Voluntary Movement: - It is a voluntary and collective movement of consumers; it is a movement of the consumers, by the consumers and for the consumers. A group of active consumers come forward, forms a union and fight for the well-being of the community.
2. Protection of Rights: - The objective of the consumer movement is to make the business community and government to guarantee and enforce the legitimate rights of consumers.
3. Strength of Unity: -Consumerism is a social force whose aim is to protect rights of consumers by exercising legal and social pressure on business community.
4. Comprehensive Term: - Every one of us is a consumer of goods and services provided by private and government undertakings. Today, the concept of consumerism is not restricted to commercial activities alone. Also extended to public utilities, and services like banking, transport, telephones, medical.etc.
5. Prevention of unethical Practice: - consumerism is a voluntary association of consumers, whose one of the objective is to prevent the business from following unethical practices like black-marketing, exploitation of consumers etc.
6. Enforcing Consumer Rights: - The consumer movement aims at enforcing four basic rights of consumers-Right to safety, Right to be informed, Right to choose and right to redress.