Most countries lack the legal frameworks to protect consumers from poor products, so “Safe Products, Confident Consumers” is the theme for the 2026 edition of World Consumer Rights Day. 

Though March 15 is officially the day, that falls on a Sunday this year. As a results, Consumers International has scheduled the following day, Monday March 16 for three information sessions, available online. 

The sessions will bring together 20 leaders from around the world, sharing insights, case studies and their views on where product safety systems are failing consumers. As one example, CI materials note a recent OECD review that found that 87 per cent of recalled or banned products are still available for purchase online. 

The first session will discuss the lived consumer experience, and set the direction for collective advocacy for the balance of the year. The second  session will examine how safety systems for manufactured products are defined, built and enforced, and why there are so many regulatory gaps. The day’s final session will return to lived experiences, reviewing which risks and products are causing recurring harm. 

Online registration is required prior to all sessions. 

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.