EDITORIAL: CONSUMERS HAVE RIGHTS TOO, LEST WE FORGET

Today, March 15, is World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD), an opportunity that is coordinated by Consumers International, a membership organisation for consumer groups around the world. The objective of WCRD is to highlight the power of consumers – and the rights for a fair, safe and sustainable marketplace for consumers worldwide.

WCRD was inspired by the 35th President of the United States John Fitzgerald Kennedy (popular simply as ‘JFK’), who sent a special message to the US Congress on March 15, 1962.

In that message, JFK addressed the issue of consumer rights as including “the right to safety; the right to be informed; the right to choose, and the right to be heard”.

The world has since then honoured this with an international voice, doing so together through consumer advocacy, spearheaded by Consumers International, the London, England-based membership organisation for consumer groups around the world.

Founded on April 1, 1960, Consumers International currently has over 250 member-organisations in 120 countries worldwide, with regional offices in Latin America, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa.

Consumers International – for all practical purposes acting as a watchdog for consumers worldwide – started out as the International Organisation of Consumers Unions (IOCU).

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This was founded in 1960 by the national consumer organisation of the Netherlands, Consumentenbond, and the United Kingdom’s Consumers’ Association – with the financial support of the Consumers Union of the United States – to plan for consumer product testing organisations worldwide, work more closely together by creating cross-border campaigns, and sharing knowledge.

Consumers International

What with one thing leading to another, what started out as the International Organisation of Consumers Unions in 1960 – and just as soon became Consumers International – went on to create World Consumer Rights Day, March 15 of each succeeding year, which consumer organisations observe as an occasion to promote basic rights of consumers.

And, as JFK stated on March 15, 1962, “consumers by definition include us all. They are the largest economic group, affecting – and affected by – almost every public and private economic decision. Yet, they are the only important group… whose views are often not heard!”

Hence World Consumer Rights Day, an annual event on March 15 for the celebration and solidarity within the international consumer movement across the world, from the poorest to the richest nations.

Participants observe the Day by promoting the basic rights of all consumers, demanding that those rights are respected and protected – and protesting against market abuses and social injustices which undermine them.

Consumers International seeks to achieve changes in government policy and corporate behaviour, whilst raising awareness of consumer rights and responsibilities. Its campaigns often fall under the themes of ‘consumer justice and protection, food policy, digital consumer rights and sustainability.’

In order to go with the times, Consumers International comes up with annual themes that are appropriate to each succeeding year.

For example, the theme for 2021 is ‘Tackling Plastics Pollution.’ This is intended to drive a campaign to raise awareness, and especially engage consumers globally to adopt and promote more sustainable practices against plastics pollution.