As humans, one of the more prolific roles we play through life is that of a consumer. Lifelong, we consume an abundance of goods and services, things, and experiences that become essential to how we live and work and enjoy ourselves. It’s a pity then that Sri Lankans have so little awareness of the rights and responsibilities we hold as consumers. Informed consumers are better for businesses and the economy as a whole; that’s why it’s in everyone’s interest to create a culture of consumer awareness.
In the past week, we’ve been introduced to a whole new lexicon centred upon consumerism – adulteration, substandard produce, carcinogens, and toxins. While the issue has been discussed extensively by media, politicians, public servants, and many interest groups, the impact of the conversation is ultimately on the average consumer, who is left confused and afraid, contemplating a festive season sans coconut oil.
Sri Lankans are not great label readers; we have had little education on what a label must include and even less interest in the fine print. As consumers, we have the right to be informed. Such information, regulated by the appointed authorities and legal frameworks, is mainly through labelling and communications such as advertising. However it is incumbent upon the consumer to educate themselves and make informed choices by gaining insights into what best suits our needs, what they contain, and what other products are on offer. But a lot of people tend to view that as a lot of work; not worth the effort in everyday purchase decisions.
In the age of social media, influencer marketing and the blurring of lines between reality and conjecture, it is imperative that consumers become more responsible and more aware of their rights; that their choices are sensible ones based not just on hearsay or another’s recommendation, but on facts and data and evidence of efficacy. Consumer rights and responsibilities are two sides of the same coin – take for example the aspect of safety; on the one hand, it is a consumer’s right to be protected by the Government and regulators from items that pose a threat or hazard or are deemed unsafe for consumption and on the other hand, it is the responsibility of a consumer to use a product as it was meant to be used by educating themselves, thus ensuring safe use.
Sophisticated consumer markets have more stringent controls and responsible behaviour by product and service providers, not just because their consumers are better informed but also because the legislative frameworks allow consumers to pursue damaging litigation against violators. In Sri Lanka, we are yet to hear of any landmark consumer-initiated litigation against a product or service provider; even the fines imposed are paltry in comparison to the volumes of business companies undertake. At the very least, we don’t even have a widespread culture where consumers return substandard goods and complain to the Consumer Affair Authority (CAA) – a right granted to consumers.
Sri Lanka’s consumer protection is governed by the Consumer Affairs Authority Act No. 9 of 2003; the CAA is vested with the authority to determine consumer complaints as well as to conduct its own investigations. But how aware is the general public about the different protections that are available? When we consume something, we know very little about the important roles played by the various watchdogs in getting that product into our hands – whether it’s the CAA, the Controller of Imports and Exports and Sri Lanka Customs, the Ministry of Health (which operates a dedicated food control unit), or the Sri Lanka Standards Institution.
The most fundamental consumer responsibility is being educated and informed; encouraging consumers to make wiser, responsible choices is a significant step towards creating a more mature form of consumerism. The ongoing saga over coconut oil is a good starting point to at the very least, create mass awareness of why reading labels is important, what they contain, and how to interpret them. Those who do, may even get their hands on some perfectly good coconut oil just in time for the New Year festivities.Smarter consumers, better products
04 Apr 2021
Smarter consumers, better products
04 Apr 2021
As humans, one of the more prolific roles we play through life is that of a consumer. Lifelong, we consume an abundance of goods and services, things, and experiences that become essential to how we live and work and enjoy ourselves. It’s a pity then that Sri Lankans have so little awareness of the rights and responsibilities we hold as consumers. Informed consumers are better for businesses and the economy as a whole; that’s why it’s in everyone’s interest to create a culture of consumer awareness.
In the past week, we’ve been introduced to a whole new lexicon centred upon consumerism – adulteration, substandard produce, carcinogens, and toxins. While the issue has been discussed extensively by media, politicians, public servants, and many interest groups, the impact of the conversation is ultimately on the average consumer, who is left confused and afraid, contemplating a festive season sans coconut oil.
Sri Lankans are not great label readers; we have had little education on what a label must include and even less interest in the fine print. As consumers, we have the right to be informed. Such information, regulated by the appointed authorities and legal frameworks, is mainly through labelling and communications such as advertising. However it is incumbent upon the consumer to educate themselves and make informed choices by gaining insights into what best suits our needs, what they contain, and what other products are on offer. But a lot of people tend to view that as a lot of work; not worth the effort in everyday purchase decisions.
In the age of social media, influencer marketing and the blurring of lines between reality and conjecture, it is imperative that consumers become more responsible and more aware of their rights; that their choices are sensible ones based not just on hearsay or another’s recommendation, but on facts and data and evidence of efficacy. Consumer rights and responsibilities are two sides of the same coin – take for example the aspect of safety; on the one hand, it is a consumer’s right to be protected by the Government and regulators from items that pose a threat or hazard or are deemed unsafe for consumption and on the other hand, it is the responsibility of a consumer to use a product as it was meant to be used by educating themselves, thus ensuring safe use.
Sophisticated consumer markets have more stringent controls and responsible behaviour by product and service providers, not just because their consumers are better informed but also because the legislative frameworks allow consumers to pursue damaging litigation against violators. In Sri Lanka, we are yet to hear of any landmark consumer-initiated litigation against a product or service provider; even the fines imposed are paltry in comparison to the volumes of business companies undertake. At the very least, we don’t even have a widespread culture where consumers return substandard goods and complain to the Consumer Affair Authority (CAA) – a right granted to consumers.
Sri Lanka’s consumer protection is governed by the Consumer Affairs Authority Act No. 9 of 2003; the CAA is vested with the authority to determine consumer complaints as well as to conduct its own investigations. But how aware is the general public about the different protections that are available? When we consume something, we know very little about the important roles played by the various watchdogs in getting that product into our hands – whether it’s the CAA, the Controller of Imports and Exports and Sri Lanka Customs, the Ministry of Health (which operates a dedicated food control unit), or the Sri Lanka Standards Institution.
The most fundamental consumer responsibility is being educated and informed; encouraging consumers to make wiser, responsible choices is a significant step towards creating a more mature form of consumerism. The ongoing saga over coconut oil is a good starting point to at the very least, create mass awareness of why reading labels is important, what they contain, and how to interpret them. Those who do, may even get their hands on some perfectly good coconut oil just in time for the New Year festivities.Kapruka
Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!
Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!