Question

Give an example of a violation of consumer’s rights to choose.

Answer 1

Hint: Right to choose is a right to be assured a wide range of goods and services to choose from and includes the right to basic goods and services. This right suits best in a competitive market given a variety of goods and services are available.

Complete answer: For regulating the marketplace, there is just one factor required and that is competition. In the case of monopolies, it means right to be assured of satisfactory quality and service at a fair price. An example of the violation of the consumer’s right to choose can be direct or indirect coercion to buy something. For instance, when you go to a dairy shop and make a purchase of 80 rupees, the shopkeeper insists you buy something worth rupees 20 so as to reach a mark of 100. This constant and indirect pressure to buy something more comes under the violation of ‘right to choose’. Therefore, it is essential that you do not succumb to the pressure instead tell the shopkeepers that they can not ask you to buy something that you do not need.

Note: There are many consumer rights and one should be aware of them as citizens. However, in case their rights are violated, they can seek redressal through various mechanisms. One such can be to approach the Consumers Court.