Page 3 - Consumer

Around 74 million tonnes of food are lost every year in India: Scientists

Food wastage is not only a direct loss to consumers but also has bearings on the environment and supporting economies, she added

NCDRC resolves 854 consumer cases in Aug, with disposal rate of 188%

The National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (NCDRC) and the Department of Consumer Affairs have successfully resolved 854 consumer cases in August, the government said on Tuesday. "The filing of cases during this period is 455 making it the highest disposal rate of 188 per cent in the year of 2023," an official statement said. This significant disposal of cases reflects NCDRC's dedication to providing consumers with a fair and efficient mechanism for addressing their concerns, it added. The NCDRC has significantly improved the disposal of consumer cases in the commission this year. This achievement underscores their unwavering commitment to safeguarding consumer rights and ensuring prompt redressal of grievances. "With proactive steps from the President of NCDRC, streamlined processes and advanced technology like E-daakhil, cases are being resolved faster than ever before," the statement said. To monitor consumer cases, the Department has organized various oneday regional .

Working on using AI to reduce pendency of consumer cases: Ministry

The Consumer Affairs Ministry on Tuesday said it is working on using artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce the pendency of cases in various consumer courts in the country. The ministry also said the National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (NCDRC) has successfully resolved 854 cases during August, the highest disposal rate in the current year. This was possible due to proactive steps taken by the NCDRC, streamlined processes and advanced technology like E-daakhil, which helped resolve cases faster than ever before, it added. "In furtherance of keeping the same momentum of disposal of cases, the Department has made filing of cases through E-daakhil in consumer commissions compulsory and soon going to launch the feature of VC (video conference) on E-daakhil," the ministry said in a statement. As the scope of artificial intelligence is increasing rapidly, the ministry is "also working on using the AI facilities in reducing the pendency of cases in the National, State and Distri

Protect Your Dream Home: Know Your Rights

Did you know you can seek a hefty refund if changes in real estate projects affect you negatively? Watch the video to know how >

After consumers, Paytm is now offering cashback to woo merchants

The idea is to use attractive cashback offers to build a relationship with merchants and eventually offer them business loans, said a top executive

Consumers as political bellwether: What duality in sentiment may mean

If inflation cools, employment improves, and growth is above average, it is possible the current consumer confidence level will cross 100 again, for the first time since 2019, writes T N Ninan

Quality gets better market, need to change mindset about quality: Goyal

Asserting that quality gets better market, Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday stressed the need to change the country's mindset about the quality of products and services. Addressing the 44th plenary meeting of International Standard Organisation (ISO) Technical Committee on Consumer Policy, Goyal said, "Quality is not an abstract term. Quality is not for goods alone but how you provide service. Quality is omnipresent." "Quality is what consumers are demanding today. Good quality can have an influence on our economy, ability to attract investments, international trade...," he said. Consumer right, consumer safety and consumer satisfaction are extremely important in this highly globalised world, he said and noted consumers can play a crucial role in shaping markets and driving economic growth. Stating that India has a great opportunity to become the world's third-largest economy in the next 4-5 years, the Minister said young population, huge talent and skill deploym

Delhi to host 44th Int'l Organization for Standardisation's plenary

India will host the 44th edition of the annual International Organization for Standardisation's Committee on Consumer Policy (COPOLCO) plenary from Tuesday in the national capital. Union Minister of Food and Consumer Affairs Piyush Goyal will inaugurate the four-day event (May 23-26). COPOLCO Chair Sadie Dainton, International Organization for Standardisation (ISO) General Secretary Sergio Mujica and other senior officials will participate in the event, an official statement said. ISO, comprising 168 countries as members, develops standards for the world impacting a diverse range of business and social sectors. Through COPOLCO, ISO involves the wider public in the process of standardisation. "Therefore, ISO COPOLCO is reckoned as the major international event that brings together representatives from ISO member countries to discuss and develop strategies for accelerating the development of standards for the world," the statement said. The event, being organised by the Bureau of Ind

Consumer Protection Act meant to encourage consumerism, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Monday said the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, is meant to encourage consumerism in the country and any technical approach in construing its provisions against consumers would defeat the objective behind its enactment. A bench of justices J K Maheshwari and M M Sundresh said a "pedantic and hyper-technical approach" would cause damage to the very concept of consumerism. The apex court's observations came while dealing with appeals against a National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) order passed in a matter relating to completion of a housing project. The bench said the Consumer Protection Act has got a "laudable objective" and the 2019 law facilitates consumers to approach forums by providing a very flexible procedure. "It is meant to encourage consumerism in the country. Any technical approach in construing the provisions against the consumer would go against the very objective behind the enactment," it said. The bench noted that the appellant .

Don't use interim order to mislead consumers on service charge: Delhi HC

It had further apprised the court that certain restaurants were currently relying on the interim order to create the image that they are permitted to impose service charges

Strengthening omni-channel ecosystem to meet needs of consumers: Dell

Dell Technologies India will continue to strengthen its omni-channel ecosystem to meet the requirement of customers in the current dynamic market scenario, a senior company official said on Tuesday. "To begin with, India is a very important market for Dell, and we are continuing to strengthen our omni-channel ecosystem to meet the changing needs of consumers. "We have enabled a strong purchase experience at every touch point, whether our customers prefer to buy a product in a store, online, or a combination of the two," Dell Technologies India Vice President and Managing Director for Consumer and Small Business Raj Kumar Rishi said. At an event to launch the company's laptop model, he said that along with online sales, the network of 632 Dell Exclusive Stores (DES), major three Large Format Retail (LFR) outlets and over 5,000 Multi-Brand Outlets (MBO) in 400 cities across the country are helping the company in meeting the customers' requirements at various stages. The company unvei

Pricing weapon in FMCG marketing

Consumers know that they can trade down to a lower priced product, and they do that when in a pinch

Delhi consumer grievances redressal: Upload pics of products, bills via app

Consumers in Delhi can now upload the pictures of a product, bill and other items via a new app to lodge a complaint on legal violations committed by a shop or an establishment with the city's weights and measures department. The app -- "Maaptol Grievance" -- has recently been developed and is available on Google Playstore. The app aims to facilitate the online registration and time-bound redressal of consumer grievances related to the Legal Metrology Act and the rules framed thereunder, officials said on Sunday. The complainant has to mention in the relevant fields of the software application his or her name and mobile number and the complete name and address of the shop or establishment where a violation of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 and the rules framed thereunder has been found, they said. In relevant cases, the complainant may upload photographs of the product related to the complaint and the bill, a senior official added. The application will ask a complainant or consumer i

Consumer, tyre companies wait for crude derivative prices to ease

The firms also say that while crude oil prices have cooled off, they must sustain at current levels for actual impact to be seen on manufacturing operations

Consumer gets soap instead of iPhone; Flipkart, retailer to compensate

A Consumer Commission has ordered e-commerce major Flipkart and a retailer to pay Rs 25,000 for deficiency in service and unfair trade practice and causing mental agony and physical harassment to a consumer who was delivered a bar of detergent soap and small keypad phone instead of the iPhone he had ordered. This payment will be apart from the refund of Rs 48,999 that the consumer Harsha S, a student from the district headquarters town of Koppal in Karnataka, had paid for the iPhone. Harsha approached the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Koppal, against Flipkart Internet Private Limited and Sane Retails complaining that he was sent a small keypad phone and a 'Nirma' soap instead of an Apple iPhone he had ordered online. He alleged in his complaint, which dates back to 2021, that he had paid Rs 48,999 and demanded refund and also compensation for deficiency of service and mental agony he underwent. The complainant said he was shocked after opening the parcel that he

How brands use the 'for women' gimmick to sell products at a premium

While brand experts count on aspirational value, the undue premium on personal care remains discriminatory

FCI to offer 1.17 MT wheat to bulk consumers in 3rd e-auction on Feb 22

State-run Food Corporation of India (FCI) will offer 11.72 lakh tonnes of wheat to bulk consumers like flour millers during the third e-auction to be held next week, the food ministry said on Saturday. FCI plans to sell 25 lakh tonnes of wheat to bulk consumers under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) till March-end as part of the government's measure to check rise in domestic prices. In the last two weekly e-auctions, about 12.98 lakh tonnes wheat was sold, out of which 8.96 lakh tonnes has already been lifted by the bidders which has resulted in cooling down of retail prices of wheat and atta. In a statement, the food ministry said FCI will offer 11.72 lakh tonnes of wheat from 620 depots across the country during the third e-auction to be held at 11 am on February 22. Bidders, who have registered themselves on the e-portal of M-Junction by 10 pm on February 17, will be allowed to participate in the e-auction on February 22, it said. The last date for deposit and uploading of ..

Builder paid for breach of contract by buyer

The National Commission noted that the agreement provided for a refund of money, along with interest, but the purchasers had never sought refund

The everywhere retail

Spurred by the pandemic, the convergence between offline and online commerce could reach a tipping point in 2023

As acute inequality grows, squeeze on Indian spenders is yet to lift

While India's rapid economic growth since the 1990s has undoubtedly expanded the spending capacity of its 1.4 billion people, acute and rising inequality makes for a budget-conscious median consumer