Charter of Consumer Rights

The Eight International
Consumer Rights and Responsibilities + One

1. Basic Needs

• The right to basic goods and services which guarantee survival.
• The responsibility to use these goods and services appropriately. To take action to ensure that basic needs are available.

2. Safety

• The right to be protected against goods or services that are hazardous to health and life.
• The responsibility to read instructions and take precautions. To take action to choose safety equipment, use products as instructed and teach safety to children.

3. Information

• The right to be given the facts needed to make an informed choice, to be protected against misleading advertising or labelling.
• The responsibility to search out and use available information. To take action to read and follow labels and research before purchase.

4. Choice

• The right to choose products and services at competitive prices with an assurance of satisfactory quality.
• The responsibility to make informed and responsible choices. To take action to resist high-pressure sales and to comparison shop.

5. Representation

• The right to express consumer interests in the making of decisions.
• The responsibility to make opinions known. To take action to join an association such as the Consumers Council to make your voice heard and to encourage others to participate.

6. Redress

• The right to be compensated for misrepresentation, shoddy goods or unsatisfactory services.
• The responsibility to fight for the quality that should be provided. Take action by complaining effectively and refusing to accept shoddy workmanship.

7. Consumer Education

• The right to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to be an informed consumer.
• The responsibility to take advantage of consumer opportunities. Take action by attending seminars and workshops, work to ensure consumer education takes place in schools.

8. Healthy Environment

• The right to live and work in an environment that is neither threatening nor dangerous and which permits a life of dignity and well-being.
• The responsibility to minimize environmental damage through careful choice and use of consumer goods and services. Take action to reduce waste, to reuse products whenever possible and to recycle whenever possible.

PLUS – Privacy

• The right to privacy particularly as it applies to personal information.
• The responsibility to know how information will be used and to divulge personal information only when appropriate.