1. Consumer Rights and Responsibilities

2. We've gotten to the point where everybody's got a right and nobody's got a responsibility. - Newton Minow

3. Safety
Right to safety
Products must not endanger consumers’ lives or health
Responsibility to use products safely
Consumers are responsible for following directions for proper use and maintenance of products.

4. What do we expect from flip flops?

5. Flip Flops!
Products coming out of china are now being recalled due to unsafe materials to make products and keep the budget at a low cost. Lead is MIXED in the paint and here is what happened when a customer bought a pair of flip flops, these were CHEMICAL BURNS:

6. Information Right to be informed Responsibility to use information
Business must provide accurate information in advertising, labeling, and sales practices.
Responsibility to use information
Consumers are responsible for using the information to evaluate product choices.

7. Choice Right to Choose Responsibility to choose carefully
Consumers should have a variety of goods and services from which to choose.
Responsibility to choose carefully
Consumers should take advantage of product variety by considering many opinions and making rational choices.

8. Competition
keeps prices reasonable
Monopoly
unfair advantage

9. Heard
Right to be heard
The government must consider consumer interests when creating laws.
Responsibility to express satisfaction or dissatisfaction
Consumers should tell their elected officials their opinions on consumer issues, and inform them of improper business practices.

10. Redress Right to redress Responsibility to seek redress
Consumers should be able to obtain fair remedies to consumer problems.
Responsibility to seek redress
Consumers should inform businesses of product defects and unfair practices and pursue remedies.

11. Consumer Education Right to consumer education
Sufficient information should be available for consumers to make rational decisions.
Responsibility to be an educated consumer
Consumers should take advantage of opportunities to gather information and learn how to make rational buying decisions.

12. Healthy Environment Right to a healthy environment
Businesses should avoid polluting the environment and should contribute to the welfare of the community in which they operate.
Responsibility to contribute to a healthy environment
Consumers should support businesses that operate responsibly and report environmental abuses to authorities.

13. Who can help? Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Most important federal consumer protection agency
Responsible for protecting consumers from unfair or deceptive business practices such as misleading information in advertising or on product labels
Stops deceptive advertising

14. Warranties
Company’s promise that the product will meet specific standards over a given time period or the company will repair or replace it, or give a refund
Implied warranty – unwritten guarantee
Express warranty – a statement which presents a specific quality of performance feature of a product

15. Who else? Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
Protects consumers from dangerous products.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
State and local governments

16. Who else cont.
Consumer’s Union tests products and reports on the results in Consumer Reports.
Underwriter’s Laboratories checks products for safety from fire, electric shock, and other hazards.
State’s attorney’s office handles frauds and misleading ad claims