Consumer Protection And Welfare - Role Of VCOs

India is the second largest populistic country in the world today, and it has become a big market for consumable and durable goods. Consumers in India are ready to buy any merchandise offered to them by big multinationals and Indian companies as well, because of the acute shortage of merchandise in the market. With acute shortage of such merchandise, adulteration, deceptive packing, short-weights and measures, after sales services and the like have become the order of the day. In countries where the consumer is illiterate innocent, un-organized and where the market is dominated by the sellers leads to exploitation of the consumers. For educating, protecting the rights of consumers provided by the legislature, the working groups, Voluntary Consumer Organizations acting as the remedial mechanism for safeguarding the welfare of consumer. In the present economic environment with liberalization of trade barriers and increasing competition the need for awareness among the consumers about their rights is important. Working towards the protection and welfare of consumers is treated as consumerism. The scenario has changed from being a ‘sellers market’ to ‘buyers market’.