NETWORK

CONSUMER RIGHTS

A consumer is any person who buys goods or services. Examples of goods are food or clothing, a car or a TV. Services include dry cleaning, car repairs or a meal in a restaurant. The Canadian market place is highly competitive and offers consumers a broad array of goods and services. As a consumer, you have the right to expect the marketplace to be fair. You also have the responsibility in making it a fair place for everyone.

Consumer rights are what every consumer should expect from people selling goods and services. For instance, consumers should expect manufacturers and retail stores to honour the warranties they issue or should only expect to pay for the services provided.

The rights of consumers in Canada are assured by consumer protection laws and policies.

Consumer Responsibilities: Consumer Responsibilities are actions that all consumers should take to ensure

they are well informed before buying a product or service
they get what they pay for
any problems with a product or service are solved quickly and to their satisfaction.

Right To...	Responsibility To...
be protected against goods and services that are hazardous to health and life	read instructions on products and use them as intended. Check the qualifications of service providers
be given all the facts and information to help choose the best product	ask for the information you need
be provided with opportunities to obtain the knowledge and skills for making informed decisions	inform yourself about goods and services you buy by reading consumer reports, following the news and asking questions
choose among a good variety of quality products and services	compare prices, find out about differences between products and services and make informed decisions
receive compensation - a fair settlement to make up for unsatisfactory goods or services	insist on a fair and reasonable deal if you are not satisfied with your purchase
live in a healthy environment	help build a healthy environment by conserving natural resources and choosing products that do not harm the environment
have a say in making government policies for the marketplace	make your needs and expectations known to vendors and to the government

We act as consumers in a variety of situations: when we buy groceries or open a bank account, order a telephone service or ride a bus, pay taxes or plan for a wedding.