Consumer organisations and NGOs play an important role in protecting and promoting consumers’ interests. Some of the important NGOs and consumer organisations include Consumer Coordination Council, Common Cause, Consumer Protection Council, Consumers’ Association, Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, etc. The following are the functions performed by these organisations in regard of safeguarding the interest of the consumers.
(i) Consumer Education: The NGOs and consumer organisations educate the consumer about their rights through various training programmes and workshops.
(ii) Publishing Journals: They publish journals and periodicals to spread knowledge and awareness about various consumer problems, legal remedies available and other such matters.
(iii) Legal Assistance: They also provide legal assistance to the consumers and help them in seeking suitable redressal.
(iv) Encouraging Protest against Exploitation: They encourage the consumers to protest against any form of exploitation and unfair trade practices.
(v) Assistance in Filing Complaints: They encourage the consumers to file complaints in appropriate forums and also file complaints on their behalf.
(vi) Taking Initiatives: They not only encourage the consumers to register complaints but also take initiatives themselves in filing cases in the general interest of the public.
(vii) Testing Quality of the Products: They carry out the quality tests for various products in laboratories and publish the results.
