By Ashim Sanyal CEO, Consumer VOICE

On World Consumer Rights Day 2025, we need to acknowledge the increased difficulties consumers experience in embracing sustainable lifestyles. High costs and greenwashing, restricted access and insufficient awareness are the obstacles that deny sustainability as a universal reality. Most importantly, the cradle to grave approach remains a distant dream for producers and consumers.

Most brands deploy false eco-friendly statements / labels / advertisements, creating a challenge for consumers to make a choice of true sustainable products. The prohibitive price for organic and environmentally friendly options mostly renders them unaffordable to middle and low-income earners. Furthermore, limited awareness and literacy make consumers susceptible to misleading advertising and uninformed consumption.

Creating Solutions for a Fairer Future

• Tougher Policies & Regulations – Implementing more stringent greenwashing regulations and encouraging honest eco-labeling will give consumers the power to make the right decisions. India’s Greenwashing Regulation can be replicated.
• Accessible & Affordable Sustainable Choices – Companies need to ramp up production of environmentally friendly goods to reduce prices, while governments can encourage sustainable innovations.
• Collective Action for Sustainability – Consumers, businesses, and policymakers need to join hands to make sustainability not a privilege but a right for everyone. Consumer Voice embraces this policy and practice. A just transition can happen only when we act together. The time is here!

Important links:

Guidelines of Greenwashing-Central Consumer Protection Authority (a regulatory body in India)

Central Consumer Protection Authority- Notification

World Consumer Rights Day 2025, observed on March 15, focuses on A Just Transition to Sustainable Lifestyles, emphasizing the need for conscious consumption and environmental responsibility. Sustainability isn’t just a trend—it’s a conscious choice to protect our planet for future generations. Small, everyday changes can make a significant impact.

Here are some down-to-earth suggestions to embrace a greener way of life:

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Create less trash by reusing products, recycling materials, and picking sustainable options like cloth bags and glass containers.

Go for Energy-Saving Options – Use LED bulbs, unplug gadgets when you’re not using them, and buy energy-efficient appliances to lower your electricity use.

Save Water – Easy habits like fixing drips, turning off the tap while you brush your teeth, and using water-saving fixtures can save loads of water each day.

Choose sustainable transportation  – Walk, bike, share rides, or hop on public transport instead of always using your car to reduce carbon emissions.

Support Ethical Brands– Pick products that are green, fair-trade, and from nearby. This helps the planet and makes sure workers get fair pay.

Mindful eating  – Don’t throw food away, get fruits and veggies in season, and try more plant-based meals to cut down on your impact on the environment.

Eco Friendly Fashion – Buy clothes that last, support brands that make recycled clothes, support slow fashion and find new uses for old clothes instead of throwing them out.

Grow Your Own Greens – Whether in a garden or small balcony pots, growing your own herbs and vegetables reduces dependency on store-bought produce.  

By making informed choices in our daily lives, we contribute to a more sustainable and just future.

By Rinki Sharma

Every year 15th March is celebrated as World Consumer Rights Day. The goal of this day is to increase public awareness of the demands and rights of consumers worldwide. The theme for 2025 is ‘A just transition to sustainable lifestyles’ which is the need of the hour. We are living at a time when pollution, loss of biodiversity and climate change and health crisis is looming large. This is just the right time for a wake-up call for all and increase awareness and engage with consumers globally to adopt and promote sustainable practices.

What is Sustainable Lifestyle?

Sustainable lifestyle is one of the most desired and popular lifestyle choices. It includes understanding lifestyle choices and how it impacts the nature and environment around us. However, it requires collective effort to minimize environmental degradation and carbon footprint while supporting equitable socio-economic development and better quality of life. Our everyday choices, our work and lives are intrinsically dependent upon the natural environment on what we eat, how we manage our waste, how we commute, how we use our appliances etc. Environmental degradation and climate change is already affecting our lives in ways more than one. The sustainable and healthy choices we make today will help our future generations.

How you can make sustainable lifestyle choices

Mind what you eat

Choose locally produced foods and opt for plant based diets and reduce the threat of loss of biodiversity. This will help reduce carbon footprint and habitat destruction. Shifting to locally produced, vegetable friendly diet will also improve one’s health. You should also take care to prevent food waste with smart, and planned shopping and making sure to consume what you purchase. 

Travel

Almost 95 percent of world’s transport is fossil fuel powered and the transport sector contributes to 23 percent of global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. Road transport, relying on petrol and diesel for 95 percent of its energy needs, is India’s largest oil consumer, constituting 44 percent of total consumption in 2021. Reaching carbon neutrality before 2070 requires the deep decarbonization of this sector. Use public transport and include shared transport like car pools for office and school, use cycles, and best walk wherever you can. This not only will help reduce pollution but also improve your lifestyle as walking and cycling are very important exercises for leading a healthy lifestyle. The air pollution levels in India are among the highest in the world, posing a heavy threat to the country’s health and economy. All of India’s 1.4 billion people are exposed to unhealthy levels of ambient PM 2.5 – the most harmful pollutant – emanating from multiple sources.

Conserve energy

Reduce use of electricity at home that lowers not only carbon emission but also money. Switch off lights, fans and appliances when not in use. Use of LED bulbs will reduce consumption of electricity. Many states in India are adopting solar power to meet energy needs. Solar power leads the way with 92.12 GW, playing a crucial role in India’s efforts to harness its abundant sunlight. Wind power follows closely with 47.72 GW, driven by the vast potential of the coastal and inland wind corridors across the country. 

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Avoid use of single use plastics and many stores in several cities in India have a drop off location for plastic bags. Reuse soda cans, glass jars, old clothes, paper products and recyclabale plastic bags to reduce waste. Upcycle products and use your locality’s upcycling program to do so.

Relevant article:

Simple Tips for Living a Sustainable Lifestyle

Building a Just and Sustainable Future: The Role of Consumers, Businesses, and Policymakers