What are the difference Between Consumer Rights and Responsibilities?

March 16, 2023    commerciallawyersinperth
What are the difference Between Consumer Rights and Responsibilities?

The consumer is considered the king of the market, and in this fast-paced world, they must be cautious of their rights and responsibilities. As there is a lot of competition in the market, many businesses are involved in unfair trade practices and look to exploit their customers.

Consumers require protection from such practices, so knowing the difference between consumer rights and responsibilities is essential. In Australia, the importance of consumer law Protection Act can properly protect customers against unfair practices. In this guide, you will learn more about the difference between consumer rights and responsibilities in Australia.

What Are Consumer Rights?

Though many Australian businessmen are aware of their social responsibilities towards their society, some are known to exploit their customers by committing fraud or applying unfair trade practices. There are various acts in Australia that can help protect customers against such practices.

What Are Consumer Responsibilities?

To safeguard the interests of consumers, the Australian government and other non-government organizations have worked a lot. But these efforts can come to fruition when consumers know their responsibilities.

Consumer Rights Vs. Responsibilities: Learn The Differences

Now that you have a concrete idea of a consumers rights and responsibilities in Australia, it’s time to compare and learn the differences between consumer rights and responsibilities.

1. Right To Be Heard

As per this consumer right, a consumer in Australia will have the right to be heard, advocate their interest and represent themselves.

To keep it simple, if an Australian consumer is exploited by a business or has a complaint about the business, goods, or services, they have the right to be heard and assured that their interest will be considered.

To fulfil this consumer right, Australian businesses need a complaint cell to attend to their customer’s complaints.

Other than that, this consumer right can also provide the right to representation in the government and other specific bodies for consumer protection. It is the responsibility of every Australian consumer to offer sound and reasonable suggestions.

As a responsible consumer, you must:

  • Avoid purchasing services or goods from a company that fails to provide any contact details of the staff handling consumer grievances or complaints with the help of Consumer lawyers in Perth.
  • Give efforts to enhance the consumer’s capability of indulging effectively and wisely in the Australian government’s decision-making procedures.
  • Check whether the company has offered you any contact details for the consumer grievance handling system. As a matter of fact, this contact information can be accessed easily.
  • Try to rectify and amend the incorrect or faulty behaviours of the marketplace.
  • Assist everyone else in expressing and exercising their consumer rights.

2. Right To Seek Redressal

This is another consumer right stating that an Australian consumer has the right to seek redressal and receive compensation against unfair trade practices or exploitation.

This right aims to assure proper justice to the consumer against any kind of exploitation or improper trade practices. As a consumer, you must not allow the company or trader to take you for granted.

In this case, a responsible consumer must do these things:

  • Avoiding the loss incurred after purchasing defective goods or services and not filing a complaint against the company boosts the courage and confidence of dishonest companies to offer defective or substandard products or services. Consequently, file a legitimate complaint no matter how minor the loss is.
  • Do not hesitate to file a complaint if you’re dissatisfied with any product or service’s quality.
  • Claim compensation or penalties are outlined in the rules and guidelines to ensure the company further enhances the quality and efficiency of its delivery system.
  • Regarding warranty policies, refund policies, and replacement/return of defective items, carefully read the terms and conditions.

Consumers’ Responsibilities Pertaining To The Right To Basic Needs

Consumers in Australia can exercise the right to basic needs or essential products that are the core essence of their survival. These include sanitation, education, healthcare, shelter, clothing, and food.

Meanwhile, it’s also the responsibility of the same consumers to:

  • Be conscious and informed about the goods and services that assure a reasonable standard of living.
  • Gather info about the variety of goods and services available in the market and learn all about their quality.
  • You must meet the demand for responsible, timely, and reliable services. Also, meet the various sanitary conditions.

Consumers’ Responsibilities Pertaining To The Right To a Healthy Environment

It is the legal right of every Australian consumer to live and reside in a physical environment that promotes restorative quality of life. It involves protecting yourself against any environmental hazard or threat that citizens cannot control.

It encompasses the significance of safeguarding and enriching the environment for the existing and future generations. It is the consumers’ duty or responsibility to ensure their actions don’t adversely impact the environment.

To do so, a responsible consumer must:

  • Be aware of the environmental hazards and problems.
  • Have knowledge of the environmental repercussions of various goods/service options.
  • Compare and evaluate products that are pre-assessed for their ecological impact.
  • Conceive an eco-friendly and sensible consumption decision.
  • Appreciate and reward brands or sellers who strictly adhere to good environmental norms and policies.
  • Aid in initiatives to lower the consumption of environmentally unsafe consumer goods and promote the usage of eco-friendly products.

3. Right To Safety

This right states that an Australian consumer has the right to be protected against any marketing of dangerous goods and services to their life and property.

This right is essential for the security and safety of consumers regarding purchasing goods. At times, there can be a manufacturing defect in goods such as an electrical appliance or a gas cylinder.

This form of defect can lead to the loss of a consumer’s health, property, and life. As a result, this right to safety can help safeguard the consumer from the sale of risky goods and services from the market.

To ensure that, it is the responsibility of the consumer to follow these things:

  • Check whether the product or service comes with a standard quality mark or not. These marks include FSSAI, ISO, Agmark, Hallmark, and ISI marks.
  • When using the products, take extra caution and care. In case of a defect or fault, report to the consumer forum.
  • Be attentive while reading the product labels and use them as directed or instructed in the manual or booklet.
  • Read the product label properly for any warning signs or labels.
  • Ask the seller about the safety features of the product.

Contact Commercial Lawyers Perth

You can read the guide above to learn more about the difference between consumer rights and responsibilities. If you feel that an Australian business cheats on you on any product or service, you can take the help of top lawyers in your area.

Contact Commercial Lawyers Perth to acquire the best lawyers who can help you know more about your rights and responsibilities as an Australian consumer.

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