HISTORY OF WORLD CONSUMER RIGHTS DAY
The ultimate goal of World Consumer Rights Day, observed annually on March 15, is to ensure consumers have all the necessary information to make an informed decision. The history of this day is an interesting one. Consumers International created and organizes World Consumer Rights Day annually. Consumers International is a global federation of consumer organizations founded in 1960, and the organization was founded as an independent and influential voice for consumers.
World Consumer Rights Day has been celebrated since 1983, and the date of March 15 honours the speech made by U.S. President John Fitzgerald Kennedy to the U.S. Congress on March 15, 1962. In this speech, he coined the four fundamental consumer rights — the right to safety, the right to be informed, the right to choose, and the right to be heard.
Since then, World Consumer Rights Day has grown in popularity and is celebrated every year with a specific theme. One of the most interesting themes, ‘Tackling Plastic Pollution,’ aimed to raise awareness of sustainable consumption and practices focusing on the manufacturing and usage of plastics and their impact on the environment. Knowing our rights as consumers is crucial because we can only identify whether we are getting fooled or cheated if we know our consumer rights. Most importantly, we can raise our voices and take legal action against any product or service purchase that goes against our rights. Talk about giving power to the people!
