Everyone is a buyer
Consumer alert
By M. R. Pai

THERE is an interesting dialogue in a story on the 19th century U.S.A. Trade unions were not known at that time to many people. The movement was new.

A worker was asked: "Are you a trade unionist?". The worker was perplexed as he had never heard of the then new movement. Then, in a moment a broad smile of understanding flashed across his face: "Oh, I see! No, I am not a trade unionist. I an a Baptist." Obviously, he thought it was a new religious sect!

Some 20 years ago, if someone had mentioned in India that he was a consumer activist, many would not have understood it at all.

It is only now, towards the close of the century, that an awareness is spreading that there is a consumer movement, and some consumers take a little more active interest than others, and are fighting for consumer causes and rights.

The question arises, who is a consumer? A consumer is not a unique, special creature. Everyone, from a little boy or girl who buys an ice-cream candy or a chocolate bar, to an old man who buys an expensive car, is a consumer. Buyers of goods of daily consumption like foodgrains and vegetables, of durable consumer goods like electric irons, mixers and refrigerators, and users of services like bus and railway transport, banking and insurance — all these are consumers.

They back up their demand for some economic goods or services with effective purchasing power and they become consumers of goods and services. Unfortunately, he or she is unaware of his/her power.

Once in five years, or more frequently when there are mid-term elections, we citizens go to the polling booth. We become important in the eyes of all political parties and candidates. They run after our votes because we represent sovereign power. We enjoy our temporary glory in a political democracy.

But how many people are aware of their permanent power — on a daily basis — as consumers?

As consumers, we participate in the daily balloting of an economic democracy. Whenever we buy any article or service, it is a vote cast for that product or service.

A housewife who buys an X brand of soap casts a vote for that brand against all competitors. Similarly, a housewife who buys a sewing machine instead of a mixer, casts a vote for manufacture of more sewing machines. Manufacturers of these products or vendors of these services should run after consumers. The latest buzz word is "consumer delight". Millions of consumers make billions of decisions every day in the daily balloting of the market place. This is a true economic democracy. It is a vital supplement to political democracy. Both should go hand-in-hand in order to ensure public welfare.