Staunch government support is needed to protect consumers' rights, a local advocacy group said yesterday on the eve of World Consumer Rights Day.
"Although consumer awareness is on the rise in Taiwan, the public's rights can't be well protected due the lack of government support," said Tsai Chai-ban (
Today is World Consumer Rights Day, celebrated each year on March 15 to mark the anniversary of a landmark speech made by US President John F. Kennedy introducing the concept of consumers rights.
Kennedy's talk highlighted the right to safety, the right to be informed, the right to choose and the right to be heard.
Consumer rights have been accepted in principle the world over with the adoption of UN guidelines for consumer protection in 1985.
"The occasion is a time to reaffirm that consumer rights should be respected and to protest any market abuses which undermine them," Tsai said.
Last year the consumer protection group received 11,288 complaints, up 36 percent from 2001.
"On the one hand the figure demonstrates that more people know how to protect themselves, while on the other it shows that Taiwanese consumers are not happy," Tsai added.
One academic urged the government to strengthen its resolve.
"Based on the current bureaucratic system, the government is incapable of protecting local consumers," said Wu Chung-chi (
He added that although the Cabinet established a Consumer Protection Commission under the Executive Yuan in 1994, the body doesn't have much power to resolve disputes.
"The commission is only in charge of receiving complaints and delivering the information to related administrative units," Wu said.
He also urged the government to make consumer-related information more transparent.
"The government conducts product investigation reports from time to time, but seldom releases the results, because it doesn't want to irritate companies," Wu said.
Consumers need transparent information to empower them to choose safe and reliable products, but the government doesn't help, he said.
Wu said the public can't depend only on the Consumers' Foundation since it is only a an advocacy group and lacks legal standing.
Consumers praised the 22-year old foundation.
"I heard much about the foundation fighting many companies for consumer rights. ?Some day if I encounter a rip-off case I may turn to them for help," said mother of two Chiang Chiu-ling (江秋玲), 39.
An executive at the foundation reminded the public that it doesn't ignore any case, large or small.
"Consumers should always be alert about questionable products or services and inform a consumer protection group in the first instance," said Cheng Jen-hung (
Raising the issue earlier means fewer people will be affected, he said.
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