Consumer Rights
On 15 March, 1962, US President John F. Kennedy
delivered an historic address to the US Congress in which he
outlined his vision of consumer rights. This was the first time any
politician had formerly set out such principles.
'Consumers by definition, include us all,' Kennedy
said in his Congressional Statement, 'They are the largest economic
group, affecting and affected by almost every public and private
economic decision. Yet they are the only important group... whose
views are often not heard.'
Over time, the consumer movement has developed this vision into
a set of eight basic consumer rights which now define and inspire
much of the work CI and its members do (around areas such as financial
services and communications):
- The right to satisfaction of basic needs - To
have access to basic, essential goods and services: adequate food, clothing, shelter,
health care, education, public utilities, water and
sanitation.
- The right to safety - To be protected against
products, production processes and services which are hazardous to
health or life.
- The right to be informed - To be given the
facts needed to make an informed choice, and to be protected
against dishonest or misleading advertising and labelling.
- The right to choose - To be able to select
from a range of products and services, offered at competitive
prices with an assurance of satisfactory quality.
- The right to be heard - To have consumer
interests represented in the making and execution of government
policy, and in the development of products and services.
- The right to redress - To receive a fair
settlement of just claims, including compensation for
misrepresentation, shoddy goods or unsatisfactory services.
- The right to consumer education - To acquire
knowledge and skills needed to make informed, confident choices
about goods and services, while being aware of basic consumer
rights and responsibilities and how to act on them.
- The right to a healthy environment -To live
and work in an environment which is non-threatening to the
well-being of present and future generations.
Read how to say these consumer
rights in French or
Spanish.

Helping consumer groups provide consumers with the know-how they need to get the best out of financial services.
SEE FINANCIAL EDUCATION
The global consumer movement promotes consumer rights on 15 March every year. See the action near you.
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Food labelling and marketing, salt reduction and the Junk Food Generation campaign.
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