Sale of Fake Products

In the National Consumer Helpline set up by the Department of Consumer Affairs,complaints are received with regard to poor quality, receipt of fake, duplicate, spurious productsetc. A three tier quasi-judicial mechanism has been set up under the provisions of the ConsumerProtection Act, 1986 to provide speedy and simple redressal to consumer disputes. They havebeen empowered to give relief of a specific nature and to award, compensation whenever appropriate to consumers.

Penalties for non-compliance of orders given by the quasi-judicial bodies have also been provided in the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. When a complaint is upheld by a Consumer Forum, it can order the opposite party, inter alia, to remove the defect in the product, replace the goods with new goods, return the price to the consumer. Department has introduced the Consumer Protection Bill, 2018 in the Lok Sabha on 5th January, 2018 to replace the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. The Bill provides for making of rules by the Government for the purpose of preventing unfair trade practices in e-commerce.