Introduction:
When we approach the market as a consumer, we expect value for moneyi.eright quality, right quantity, right prices, information about the mode of use, etc. But there may be instances where a consumer is harassed or cheated.
An Act to provide for the better protection of the interest of consumers and for that purpose to make provision for the establishment of consumer councils and other authorities for the settlement of consumer disputes and for matters connected therewith.

International Scenario:
The process of development coupled with increasing liberalisation and globalisation across the country has enabled consumers to realise their increasingly important role in society and governance. However, concentration of the market power in the hands of a select few has affected consumers’ behaviour over time. In a developing country like India where the incidence of poverty and unemployment is very high and the level of literacy is very low, the people face a volume of problems, particularly in the context of consumer related issues. Unlike in the developed world, consumers in these countries have not been able to play a greater role in the development process.
The purpose of economic planning is to allocate resources, as far as possible, for the maximum satisfaction of consumers’ needs. Any goods or services produced in an economy are ultimately meant for consumers. There is a logical, moral and political force in the proposition that the consumers themselves should have the right to take decisions about the allocation of resources for their own needs.
Realising this need, the International Organisation of Consumer Unions, now known as Consumers International, took the initiative and under its consistent lobbying, the United Nations adopted a set of Guidelines for Consumer Protection on April 9, 1985 which were revised in 1999. The Guidelines