‘The consumer is the king of the market.’
The above quote seems to imply that the consumer holds (almost) tyrannical power over the market.
The quote gives consumer confidence a boost, but not for long against lived experiences, especially in less developed countries and monopoly markets like Nepal where the consumer has remained a paper tiger for long.
The quote notwithstanding, the situation on the ground is far more sobering in the context of Nepal where consumerism remains an alien concept, where getting cheated in terms of price, quality and quantity has become the norm rather than the exception for the gullible consumer. Here, cartelling, hoarding and black-marketing have become standard business practices and even if one gets caught for resorting to these practices, chances of getting an early release are pretty high, thanks to friends in high places.
In the name of protecting consumers’ interests, very many organizations have sprouted in Nepal over the decades. But most of these bodies are not independent; they merely are extensions of different political parties. Obviously, they are more interested in pursuing politics in the name of the consumer than taking pains for the protection of consumer rights.
By the way, what does the Constitution of Nepal, 2015 provide for the (wronged) consumer?
Article 44 (1) states, in no uncertain terms: Every consumer shall have the right to obtain quality goods and services.
Article 44 (2) goes: A person who has suffered injury from any substandard goods or services shall have the right to obtain compensation in accordance with law.
A fitting tribute to consumer rights, right?
But the consumer needs far more than hollow words, it needs some concrete action to get core concerns addressed.
For a long time, the conscious consumer has felt the need for a dedicated court to address grievances. The good news is, such a court has finally started operation coinciding with the World Consumer Rights Day (March 15).
The Consumer Court, established with a mission to expedite legal proceedings and provide swift resolutions to consumer complaints, consists of Kathmandu district court Judge Ram Prasad Sharma as chair and gazetted second-class officers Gehendra Raj Regmi and Ananda Raj Pokharel as members, apart from a registrar for filing cases.
Now that the long-awaited court has materialized, time has come for the aggrieved people to break the silence and move the court, if need be, for the protection of consumer rights.
