Bhubaneswar:  The National Consumer Rights Day is celebrated on December 24 every year to highlight the importance of consumer movement and the need to make consumers more aware of their rights and responsibilities.

The National Consumer Rights Day was observed for the first time in 1986 under the Consumer Protection Act. It’s different from the World Consumer Day, which is celebrated annually on March 15.

The National Consumer Rights Day is observed to create awareness among consumers against market exploitation such as difference in prices and purchasing defective products. The Consumer Protection Act came into force in 1986.

The major objectives of the Consumer Protection Act 1986 are:

Rights to protect against the marketing of goods and services which are hazardous to life and property

Rights to be informed about the quality, quantity, price and purity of the goods and services, to avoid unfair trade practices

Rights to be assured of the access to a variety of goods and services at competitive prices

Rights to seek redressal against unfair trade practices or restrictive trade practices

Rights to consumer education.

In 2019, the Consumer Protection Act 1986 was revised. Later, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution announced the CPA 2019 bill put to effect on July 20, 2020.