Consumers International will bring together leaders from around the world in 18 separate panel discussions in advance of the March 15, 2025 World Consumer Rights Day. 

The actual “Day” falls on a Saturday, but during the week of March 10 to 14, Consumers International has scheduled multiple information sessions and online webinars as part of the 2025 Sustainable Lifestyles Summit. 

A welcoming session on Monday will look at what a just transition to sustainable lifestyles means for consumers around the world. It will explore why accessibility, availability and affordability are the key drivers to help everyone live more sustainably. Over 94 per cent of consumers favour a shift to more sustainable lifestyles, but more than 80 per cent also say stronger support from government and business is required to make this possible. 

Over the rest of that day and the next four days, more than 85 leading experts including representatives from United Nations Trade and Development, United Nations Environment Programme and Accenture will examine timely related topics such as food waste, plastics and changing dietary patterns. 

Online registration prior to the sessions is required. 

Consumers International has 200 consumer organization members, including Consumers Council of Canada, in 100 countries.

The origins of World Consumer Rights Day trace back to 1962 when President John F. Kennedy addressed the issue of consumer rights in a special message to the U.S. Congress. The consumer movement first marked the date in 1983 and now uses it every year to mobilize action on important issues. It is an opportunity to demand that the rights of all consumers are respected and protected, and to protect against market abuses and social injustices that undermine those rights.