Consumer Voice :: About Us

VOICE MILESTONES

In the year 1983 VOICE was set up and since then we have never looked back. Every year has been a landmark for us as we achieved new milestones every year.

1984: VOICE filed a case against the ‘Made for Each Other’ Wills Campaign in the MRTP Commission.

1991: VOICE initiated the Comparative Testing Process in India with its pilot project on Colour TVs and first product test report of 13 brands of colour television was released. Indian brand TEXLA topped in overall performance surpassing other popular foreign television brands. There was only one ISI marked product.

1992: VOICE lobbied with the Government of India to have mandatory labeling “contains no fruit juice or pulp” on soft drink bottles.

1995-1996: VOICE, for the first time represented Indian consumers on the Codex Alimentarius Commission, National Codex Committee under Ministry of Health.

1997: The first issue of Consumer VOICE (English) rolled out.

1999: VOICE lobbied with the Government of India, the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Ministers to introduce vegetarian and non-vegetarian labeling on food items. Prime Minister convened a meeting to discuss the issue and the proposal was later implemented.

1999: VOICE released the test results of 12 brands of mineral water and lobbied with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to introduce mandatory ISI labeling for bottled water.

2002: VOICE won a legal case against 44 manufacturers of televisions that had made huge profits by selling televisions at a premium during the 1984 Asian Games held in Delhi.

2003: VOICE conducted study on labeling of imported food items in India. Findings suggested that 80% brands violate Indian standards.

2004: VOICE started its energy efficiency campaign. We lobbied with and supported the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) to initiate stricter standards and labeling of electrical products vis-à-vis energy efficiency. In June 2006, BEE released the first energy efficiency label for frost-free refrigerators and tube lights.

2004: Consumer VOICE published its first Hindi edition.

2005: VOICE started tests of services sector in India.

2006: Consumer VOICE becomes a monthly magazine with full colour pages, from a bi-monthly and two- colour pages.

2006: Consumer VOICE launches its online magazine: www. consumer-voice.org

2006: Consumer VOICE conducts first ever customer satisfaction study of the Insurance and Banking sector in India. 23 insurance companies and 19 banks have been put on the mat.

VOICE AND PARTNERS

VOICE is a full member of Consumer International (CI) earlier known as International Organisation of Consumer Unions (IOCU) based in London. It has contacts with other consumer action groups at the International and national levels, which keeps VOICE informed of the new developments that could minimise exploitation of the unwary consumers. International organisations with which VOICE maintains contact include action against smoking and health (ASH) of UK, Stiftung Warentest of Germany, and national Consumer Council (NCC) of UK, Consumers Association of UK, Consumers Union, USA, Australian Consumers Associations and Consumenten- Bond of Netherland.

While serving on several official committees, VOICE has articulated consumer interest and continues to do so, as member of the Central Committee on Food Standards, Consumer Protection council (Delhi). Electronics Test Lab advisory Committee, Committee on Urban Waste management, and the Committee on the Issue of Fluoride in Toothpaste and MSG in Foods.

<<Prev Next>>