Consumer Voice :: Diwali Greetings

Consumer protection in
times of Divali

Should Divali time not bring about a state of enhanced consumer protection in the country? With millions of rupees being spent on product and services advertising, and increased consumer spending, consumer-voice.org brings some working tips on consumer and environmental protection this festival season.

Free offers!

Samsung microwaves are promising a ‘Divali jackpot' with Hyundai cars as gifts, IFB is offering a Chevorlet, Kurkure is asking you to do away with the ‘old-fashioned' mithai, even slimming centres are offering attractive weight-loss packages.

While free offers make news in the papers and on TV channels (thanks to advertising), one almost never gets to know who actually wins that lucky prize, how many gifts were given out by which brand, and if the consumers who were eligible to take them away are happy with what they get.

Read the fine print

Last year, the much feted ‘LG Mangal-Hi-Mangal' offer got a rap from the Monopoly and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission, when the company widely advertised its offer which was seen as misleading and false. The company had assured gift with every purchase of LG product. However, it did not specify the products and the conditions, which were applicable for eligibility of gifts to the customers.

	Before buying any product or service in Divali time, make sure you read the fine print, and terms and conditions carefully.
	Ask the dealer, before purchase, what recourse you would have in case of a faulty product and who will carry out the servicing. Get this information in writing
	Get the warranty card signed and stamped by the dealer.

Packaging

Divali is not just a time of air pollution, but also generation of a lot of waste packaging.

	Buy gifts that have minimal packaging.
	Recycle packaging as much as possible. Use paper wrappers to line your drawers and cupboards.
	Avoid exchange of paper greeting cards, as the cards business is a major cause of deforestation around the world.

FOR DIVALI GIFT A 'CONSUMER VOICE' SUBSCRIPTION FOR YEAR LONG PLEASURE AND EMPOWERMENT. OR SIMPLY FORWARD US THE NAME OF A FRIEND, AND WE'LL SEND A COPY OF 'CONSUMER VOICE' AS A GREETING CARD!

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