WHY EDUCATE THE CONSUMER ?
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"Consumer Business is Everybody’s Business"
The Jamaican marketplace has changed markedly in recent times; the world market has also changed dramatically and there is every reason to believe that the dynamic situation which we are witnessing will continue.
We in Jamaica are now committed to a market-driven economy with Government playing the role of facilitator rather than being an active player in Business and Commerce.
Those prices which were set by Government are now more and more being set by the sellers of goods and services. Trade barriers which were in place not too long ago have substantially been dismantled.
As a result, the Jamaican consumer now sees a wider array of goods from which he can choose. No longer is he seeing only the brands to which he was accustomed but also brands and sometimes goods unfamiliar to him.
New ways of doing business have emerged on the Jamaican scene over the past decade - electronic banking, increased credit card services, messages by facsimile, etc. The changes in the marketplace within and outside of Jamaica, along with the openness of the Jamaican economy pose real challenges for the Jamaican consumer. Consumer education has always been important, but now more than ever it becomes a critical factor for consumer survival.
The Jamaican consumer of the 21st Century, if he is to function effectively must be:-
- aware of his rights and responsibilities
- knowledgeable about the products and services available
- able to make informed decisions which reflect his values, goals and
priorities and
- able to actively participate as a consumer citizen and influence the shape of the marketplace
The Consumer Affairs Commission provides the information and advice critical for the survival of the Jamaican consumer of the late 1990’s. The Commission joins other Consumer Organizations around the world in upholding the Rights of the Consumer. Jamaica is a signatory to, and therefore accepts the United Nations Guidelines on Consumer Protection. The Guidelines
are essentially a restatement of the basic rights. The details of these are given in the article titled Consumer Rights and Responsibilities.
The Consumer Affairs Commission sees as one of its challenges, the execution of a successful education programme directed at the various publics with the Consumer Rights come Consumer Responsibilities and as we develop into conscious consumers, the need to discharge consumer responsibilities becomes evident.
The Consumer Affairs Commission sees as one of its challenges, the execution of a successful education programme directed at the various groups within the Jamaican population including - the school-age population, young working adults, the elderly, the urban population, the rural population and so on.
The Commission feels that Consumer’s business is everybody’s business and will work with all individuals and groups with a view to heightening Consumer consciousness and improving the skills of the Consumer to deal with the complexities of the marketplace. This includes dealing with individual Consumer complaints.