The consumer movement marks March 15th with World Consumer Rights Day every year, as a means of raising global awareness about consumer rights and needs. Celebrating the day is a chance to demand that the rights of all consumers are respected and protected, and to protest against market abuses and social injustices which undermine those rights.
World Consumer Rights Day was inspired by President John F Kennedy, who sent a special message to the US Congress on 15th March 1962, in which he formally addressed the issue of consumer rights. The consumer movement first marked that date in 1983 and now uses the day every year to mobilise action on important issues and campaigns.
This World Consumer Rights Day (15 March 2021), consumers will join together to Tackle Plastic Pollution.
We are currently facing a global plastic pollution crisis. Although plastic can be a highly useful material in everyday life, our consumption and production of plastics have become unsustainable.
Now is a critical time in highlighting, addressing, and tackling plastic pollution as the global COVID-19 pandemic adds to the rise of single-use plastics including face masks, gloves, and food packaging.
Consumers International, UNEP and One Planet Network release their global assessment of recycling and sustainability labelling on plastic packaging. The research found only 19% of assessed labels give consumers quality information to make informed recycling and purchasing decisions.
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Economy-wide transformation means establishing new patterns of consumption and production, which will sometimes require shifts in individuals’ behaviours. Consumers everywhere will have to make changes to how we travel, heat, save money, cool and power our homes, the food we eat, the products we buy and how we save and spend. These changes will only happen if consumers are supported and enabled by other actors in the marketplace and by ambitious government action.
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