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The global consumer dialogue and education network about Access to Knowledge (A2K)... To stop the marketing of unhealthy food to children... Exposing irresponsible drug marketing...
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Subscribe to this feedNoticeboardGlobal consumer movement sets out conditions for a new financial order
Find out what the global consumer movement is calling for See also... What our membership are doing about the financial crisis
WHO starts consultation on the marketing of food to children
Between June and August 2009, WHO regional offices will be seeking input from all member states. As part of this process, CI and its member organisations around the world will continue to urge the WHO to adopt the principles set out in CI’s Recommendations for an International Code on the Marketing of Foods and Non-Alcoholic Beverages to Children. Read more... See also... The Junk Food Trap; CI Code on Marketing Food and Alcoholic Beverages to Children; Cereal Offences New media, same old tricks Consumer empowerment and responsible business conduct
These were just a few of the questions considered when civil society, business and government joined in discussions at the recent OECD Roundtable Conference on Corporate Responsibility held in Paris. Samuel Ochieng, CI’s President, delivered the keynote address focusing on The role and expectations of the global consumer movement from the perspective of a developing country. Read the keynote address... See also… Corporate Social Responsibility and Standards Consumer debt on constant rise in Latin America
This month’s CI member highlight features ODECU’s study, which reveals alarming levels of debt and overspending. Every month, one-fifth of pay packets in Chile are being poured into debt repayments. The report probes consumer minds and banking fine print in Latin American countries to discuss why the tide of debt has risen 15% per annum in the last four years and puts forth recommendations to prevent debt and bail out consumers in trouble. Read more... See also… Consumer solutions to the financial fix TACD turns 10
Regulating Nanotechnology in Food and Consumer Products: Developing A Consumer-focused Transatlantic Approach aims to bring together experts from industry, academia, governments and consumer groups for a day of discussion and debate on the necessary steps for ensuring that products containing nanotechnologies are safe and beneficial to consumers. Consumers International (CI) caught up with Julian Knott, TACD Coordinator, before he left for Brussels and talked about a decade of negotiating across the Atlantic. Also visit... the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue website Consumers hoofwinked by Brazil’s beef industry
In March CI's member highlight featured Idec’s research about Brazil’s abattoir and meat processing industry which reveals that little or no safeguards are in place to avoid buying cattle raised through deforestation and the use of slave labour. Now the The Guardian reports on research that also links deforestation of the Amazon rainforest to supermarkets in the UK, 'British supermarkets are driving rapid destruction of the Amazon rainforest by using meat from farms responsible for illegal deforestation...'. Read more about Idec's research and how Brazil’s beef industry fails consumers when it comes to sustainable beef production... See also... Member highlights International developments in regulating the promotion of prescription medicines
A research briefing, released at the 2009 World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva ahead of the publication of the final report later in the year, outlines the research methodology used and presents a preliminary analysis of the regulation of gift-giving, one of the key focus areas of the study. Read more... See also... Marketing Overdose - the campaign against irresponsible drug promotion; Branding the cure; Drugs, Doctors and Dinners Self-medicating with swine flu antivirals makes the situation worse
This follows reports from the US where pharmacies have sold out of the swine flu antivirals. The consumer group also sees this as an effective measure against the antivirals being prescribed unnecessarily, warning consumers that self-medicating with antiviral drugs against swine flu will make the virus more resistant to future treatment. Also follow... Marketing Overdose - CI's campaign against the irresponsible promotion of drugs; Marketing Overdose blog; La influenza porcina y las Granjas Carroll US copyright report leaves consumer groups disappointed
This annual report, which has once again disappointed consumer groups and ‘fair use’ advocates, follows the publication of CI’s own IP Watch List of national copyright laws. Read our reaction to the 301 Report New IP Watch List reveals copyright law is failing consumers
Launched as part of our Access to Knowledge programme, the Intellectually Property (IP) Watch List is a global snapshot of how IP and copyright laws serve or subvert consumer interests. The inaugural survey of 16 countries reveals that many national IP laws are stuck in the 20th Century and do little to support consumers in the Internet Age. Visit CI's Access to Knowledge website: A2Knetwork.org Left wanting more...
Left wanting more, CI's latest global report, reveals the inconsistent and inadequate policies of the major food and drink companies when it comes to marketing unhealthy food to children. Read more...
Raising consumer awareness with radio productions
This is the case in Jamaica where the National Consumers League, with the help and training of Panos-Caribbean and two of Jamaica's best known journalists, produced a series of radio skits – minute-long consumer information productions – for Radio Jamaica. The media capacity training aimed to raise awareness about the pressing consumer issues Jamaica faces with the focus on energy saving, money management and obesity. Read more about the training and listen to three of the radio skits...
Consumer solutions to the financial fixThis financial crisis began with a failure to protect consumers. Effective, affirmative and preventative consumer protection needs to be a major part of the global solution. Find out about CI's key demands, download our latest statement and get commentary from consumer experts around the world. Our work on the Financial Crisis Financial crisis commentary on the CI blog |
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Robust consumer protection, tougher banking regulations and bailouts that put the consumer first... the key points of CI's position on the financial crisis ahead of a major UN summit. 
The World Health Organization (WHO) has started the final stage of its consultation on the recommendations it will make on the marketing of food to children. 
What progress have companies made in developing greener, more ethical products? How can governments and business mobilize consumers to become more energy-efficient and empower corporations to the climate change cause?
Does buying new clothes and gadgets make us happy?
The Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD) celebrates its 10th anniversary this month from 7-10 June in Brussels with a host of meetings and a conference on regulating nanotechnology in food and consumer products.
Would you stop eating meat because it has damaged a forest and destroyed human lives on its way to your plate? 
Regulation and the promotion of prescription medicines... the focus of a new CI global study in nine countries spanning five continents. The research reviews industry codes of conduct, national legislation and company practices.
Consumer Power (El Poder del Consumidor)
Lively dialogue and catchy reggae backtracking...