Protecting Consumers

1
Protecting Consumers Rights

• Section 1.2

2
Terms to Know

• Consumer advocates
• Redress
• Consumer affairs departments
• Consumer action panels
• media

3

• Consumer Advocates people or organizations who
  work on behalf of consumers
• Who is Ralph Nader?

4
Government Protection

• Redress-a right of the consumer is a remedy for a
  wrong or a loss
• Look at the Consumer Rights and Responsibilities

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Federal Consumer Protection Laws

• Look at handout and discuss where you have seen
  examples of these

6
Know these Agencies

• ___________________________(FTC) Enforces
  dishonest advertising
• _________________________ (CPSC) protects the
  public on safety standards for household products
• __________________________ (USDA) -inspects and
  sets standards for meat, poultry, fruits and
  vegetables

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Know these Agencies

• FTC-Federal Trade Commission Enforces dishonest
  advertising
• Consumer Product Safety Commission protects the
  public on safety standards for household products
• USDA-United States Department of
  Agriculture-inspects and sets standards for meat,
  poultry, fruits and vegetables

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• ____________________(FDA) Enforces labeling on
  food, drugs and cosmetics
• _________________________ (FCC) Regulates
  interstate and international communications by
  radio, tv, wire, satellite and cable. Provides
  info if consumers have complaints.
• _______________________________ (NTIA) Provides
  consumers choices and quality with the internet,
  cellular, cable service at lower prices.
• __________________(FCIC) Provides information to
  consumers on a wide range of topics through low
  cost publications, a web site and toll free phone
  assistance.

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More Federal Agencies

• Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Enforces
  labeling on food, drugs and cosmetics
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Regulates
  interstate and international communications by
  radio, tv, wire, satellite and cable. Provides
  info if consumers have complaints.
• National Telecommunications and Information
  Administration (NTIA) Provides consumers choices
  and quality with the internet, cellular, cable
  service at lower prices.
• Federal Consumer Information Center (FCIC)
  Provides information to consumers on a wide range
  of topics through low cost publications, a web
  site and toll free phone assistance.

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Exercise

• Go online to FCIC and select an area that
  interests you
• Read the description of the advice and report to
  the class what you found.

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Consumer Groups

• Organizations that focus on consumer education,
  protection and advocacy.
• National Consumers League
• Public Citizen
• Consumer Action

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Consumer Testing Agencies

• Consumers Union is an independent consumer
  testing agency that fights for consumer rights.
  The members buy products, test them and report to
  Consumer Reports

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BBB
A business and industry group that works to
assist consumers. Go online and research the
BBB. Where is our closest office? What other BBB
Sites are there? Browse BBB OnLine Reliability
Participants
14
Media

• Channels of mass communication like newspapers,
  magazines, radio, television and related web
  sites.

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Questions to answer

1. What is the underlying principle shared by
   advocates of the consumer movement.
2. Explain two consumer rights and their
   corresponding responsibilities
3. Name and describe two federal laws that regulate
   product labeling.