Consumerism

Question 1

Consumerism

Answer 1

as an organized movement of citizens and government agencies to improve the rights and power of consumers in relation to sellers.

Question 2

Institutions set up to Protect Consumers include:

Answer 2

Consumer affairs division/commission – the main role of the consumer affairs division is to
inform and educate the consuming public about their rights and responsibilities.

Roles and Functions of Consumer Affairs Division include:
- Provides consumers with information such as grade/size of goods, prices of consumer items,
health and safety requirements and desired standard of goods.
- The regulation and control of prices.

 The Bureau of Standards – the main role of the Bureau of Standards is to ensure that all
commodities and production facilities meet some minimum acceptable health and safety
standard.

Roles and Functions of the Bureau of Standards include:
- Ensuring that measurement apparatus is properly calibrated.
- Issuing warnings to producers who are not adhering to standards.

The Ombudsman – this is government appointed who investigates malpractices, maladministration or injustices suffered by individuals and the population.
Roles and Functions of the Ombudsman include:
- Investigates complaints of loss/damages from the public.
- Make recommendations to correct wrong doing of state agencies to members of the public.

Question 3

Customer satisfaction

Answer 3

is a measure of how products and services supplied by a company meet customer’s expectations

Question 4

Two ways a firm can ensure customer satisfaction are

Answer 4

providing good customer service and training staff properly

Question 5

Acts of consumers

Answer 5

Food and Drugs Act- the goods that consumers are consuming are safe to their health
Hire Purchase Act-consumers are guarded against unfair trade practices.

Question 6

Consumer protection

Answer 6

is the practise of protecting buyers of goods against unfair practices in the market place.