Features and Objectives of Consumer Protection Act' 2019

Features of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019

a) Universal Application: The Act extends to the whole of India and applies to all goods and services, unless specifically exempted by the Central Government.

b) Covers All Sectors: It covers public, private, and cooperative sectors, ensuring that all organizations are accountable to consumers.

c) Compensatory in Nature: Unlike earlier laws that were mainly punitive, the provisions of this Act are compensatory in nature, focusing on relief and redressal for the affected consumers.

d) Comprehensive Consumer Rights: The Act safeguards all major consumer rights such as the right to safety, information, choice, to be heard, redressal, and consumer education.

e) Empowers Consumers: It empowers consumers to take action against unfair trade practices, defective goods, and deficient services, and to seek the withdrawal of hazardous products from the market.

f) Covers E-commerce and Digital Transactions: The Act also extends protection to consumers engaging in online transactions, teleshopping, direct selling, or multi-level marketing.

Objectives of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019

The main objective of this Act is to provide better protection to consumers and to ensure speedy, simple, and inexpensive redressal of consumer grievances. It aims to promote fair trade practices and safeguard consumer interests in all sectors. The specific objectives are:

a) To Protect Consumers’ Interests: To ensure adequate protection for consumers against unfair trade practices and exploitation.

b) To Promote Fair Business Practices: To encourage ethical conduct among producers, traders, and service providers.

c) To Ensure Availability of Quality Goods and Services: To promote production and distribution patterns that are responsive to consumers’ needs and preferences.

d) To Prevent Abusive Trade Practices: To curb unethical and restrictive business practices at both national and international levels.

e) To Strengthen Consumer Organizations: To facilitate the development of independent consumer associations that can represent and protect consumer interests.

f) To Encourage International Cooperation: To promote global cooperation and exchange of best practices in the field of consumer protection.

g) To Promote Healthy Market Competition: To encourage the development of market conditions that offer consumers greater choice at reasonable prices.