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

by admin | Mar 13, 2025 | WCRD

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

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

Simple Tips for Living a Sustainable Lifestyle

by admin | Mar 8, 2025 | WCRD

Simple Tips for Living a Sustainable Lifestyle

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

World Consumer Rights Day 2025

by admin | Mar 1, 2025 | WCRD

World Consumer Rights Day 2025

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.

To know more about World Consumer Right Day 2025, Click here

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

World Consumer Rights Day 2023

by cv | Mar 11, 2023 | WCRD

World Consumer Rights Day 2023

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. By commemorating the day, we have the opportunity to call for the respect and protection of all consumer rights as well as to voice our opposition to social injustices and market practises that violate those rights.

The United Nations has officially recognised and endorsed World Consumer Rights Day. Consumers International has been running the campaign for 40 years, bringing the entire consumer movement together to celebrate. Each year, members of Consumers International contribute to choosing the campaign theme in order to encourage international action on critical consumer concerns.

“Clean Energy Transitions” is the theme this year. The term “energy transition” describes the change occurring within the global energy sector from fossil-based energy production and consumption systems, such as oil, natural gas, and coal, to renewable energy sources like wind and solar as well as lithium-ion batteries.

From – ASHIM SANYAL, COO CONSUMER VOICE

World Consumer Rights Day – Shifting to Clean Energy for a Greener and Cleaner World

The transition to clean energy entails moving energy production away from sources that emit a lot of greenhouse gases, such as fossil fuels, and toward sources that emit very little or no greenhouse emissions. Among these clean sources are nuclear power, hydropower, wind power, and solar electricity. According to the International Energy Agency(IEA), in order to meet these climate targets by 2050, at least 80% of the world’s electricity must be switched to low-carbon sources, with roughly two thirds of it still coming from burning fossil fuels.

The world’s fight against climate change has never been more important than it is now, thanks to India’s announcement that it intends to achieve net zero emissions by 2070 and to fulfil 50% of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2030. India is setting the bar for new economic development models that could sidestep the carbon-intensive strategies many nations have previously taken and serve as a model for other emerging economies.

Expressions – School children on clean energy

Amyra Tomar_DAV RBE Paschim Vihar_New Delhi

urvaksh unni kurup_Army Public School_Barrackpore_WB

Challenges to India’s energy sector

India has a serious access to energy problem, and there are wide access disparities throughout the nation. In India, kerosene is still used for lighting in about 77 million homes. Up to 44% of homes lack access to power in rural India, making the issue considerably worse there. India has implemented a number of projects and programmes to combat energy poverty, but they have encountered logistical challenges and insufficient local implementation.
In the first half of 2022–2023, India’s import expenditure for crude oil jumped by 76% to USD 90.3 billion, while the overall volume of imports rose by 15%. India’s energy security is severely threatened by its rising reliance on imported oil, and the present global supply chain disruption caused by unrest in geopolitics is making matters worse.
In terms of renewable energy, India is also heavily reliant on other nations like China for solar panels. India lacks the capacity to manufacture solar wafers and polysilicon, which is impeding the shift to clean energy.
The availability of fuel, the amount of energy needed, and the physical durability of the present and future energy infrastructure are all directly impacted by climate change. It is even more crucial to cut fossil fuel emissions because heatwaves and a disrupted monsoon due to climate change are already straining the capacity of current energy production.

The Way Forward

India can support breakthroughs at the university level that assist India in pursuing an economically feasible clean energy transition. Thus, it is possible to take advantage of India’s demographic dividend and encourage students to pursue research and innovation rather than traditional education. For instance, the unit cost of LED lights was reduced by almost 75% as a result of the Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) programme.
Public transportation needs to be reassessed in order to regain public trust. This includes buying more buses, implementing e-bus technology, building bus corridors, and implementing BRT systems.
As well as replacing fossil fuels with biofuels, emission standards should be tightened. Gaining the advantages of electric vehicles also requires the creation of multiple electric freight lanes to encourage electrification.
Through the use of distributed energy systems and the encouragement of home production, India can gradually cut down on its reliance on foreign supply chains and commodity imports.

References

Webinar on “Safe-Tea”

by cv | Mar 14, 2021 | WCRD

Webinar on “Safe-Tea”

Mornings in most Indian homes begin with a cup of freshly brewed tea. Long conversations, heated arguments, debates and even gossips are incomplete without that cup of tea. The popularity of tea is such that in India, now one can find various types of tea – masala chai, cutting chai, gur chai,elaichi chai, adrak chai, green tea, black tea and the list is endless. Tea consumption which originated in ancient China and reached the European continent in the 16th century, in India, its cultivation began in Assam in the 19th century.

Tea has several health benefits besides being a sign of Indian culture. Tea is believed to boost immunity, improve digestion and also helps in elimination of toxins from the body. White tea also helps in lowering cholesterol level and regulating blood pressure. A blend of effective herbs in tea quiets helps in relaxing the mind and body. When it comes to health benefits, it is very important to know what exactly you are consuming.

Safe Tea Webinar – Summary

The webinar marking the World Consumer Rights Day on 15th March was addressed by Mr. Viren Shah, Chairman, FAITTA (Federation of All India Tea Traders Association), Mr. Pramod Kumar Sahoo, Deputy Chairman & CEO, Tea Board of India and Dr. Harinder Singh Oberoi, Advisor (QA) FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India). The Panellists covering technical aspects were Mr. Sandip Sanyal Principal Scientist, Tea Research Association (TRA), Mr. Prashant Bhansali, President, UPASI (United Planters’ Association of Southern India), Mr. Paras Desai, ED Wagh Bakri Tea Group, Mr. Ashim Sanyal COO Consumer-Voice and Dr. Sanu Jacob, Director, FSSAI.

Some of the key takeaways from the webinar

Tea remains the most penetrated beverage in Indian households and is India’s No.1 ‘common persons’ drink. Tea is perceived as a natural drink with proven health benefits Therefore consumer health and safety aspects of Tea must be fully ensured.
Colour addition in Tea poses the biggest challenge. This is prohibited under the FSSAI Regulations and therefore should be treated as a significant adulterant. Colour addition detracts the natural health properties of Tea and adversely impacts the interest of both the consumer and genuine trade.
Colour addition can occur at the primary manufacturing stage and at post manufacture at the trade level, as well. The problem must be dealt with collectively by Manufacturers / Traders, Tea Board of India, FSSAI and Consumer Organizations. Greater consumer awareness needs to be generated and regulatory interventions strengthened at the State level.
Iron particles in Tea should not be viewed and classified as adulterants but only as incidental during Tea manufacture. The abrasion caused due to movement and friction of Tea Rollers & CTC machines (used to macerate the green tea leaves) result in the presence Iron particles (both free and impregnated) in manufactured Tea. Various steps of manufacture from withering to sieving could also contribute to incidence of iron filings.
While FSSAI has set a tolerance limit of 250 mg/kg for Iron Filings (an incidental contaminant), the industry continues to exercise all possible caution towards removal / minimizing its presence by extraction through high powered magnets as a process control during manufacture and post manufacture steps. The Tea Research Association is also spearheading initiatives involving:

a) Prescription of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
b) Development of higher efficiency Iron Particles Extraction Machine,
c) Development of a Micronizer – an innovative Processing Machine avoiding metal to metal contact and
d) Plasma Nitriding of CTC Rollers improving their surface hardness. BIS has developed a method to determine iron filings and FSSAI is also in the process of developing a method.

The need for judicious and rational use of pesticides and also adoption of Integrated Pest Management was also highlighted, as an important initiative to manage the pesticide residues in Tea and offering a safe product to Consumers.
Responsible sections of the Tea trade and established Tea packet Brands follow rigorous checks and process controls to ensure delivery of quality and safe products to the consumer.
From a consumer perspective Brands enjoy strong commitment and loyalty. Therefore, quality and safety issues need strong enforcement going beyond nominal standards. The FSSAI’s Safety-on-Wheels initiative need to be strengthened and extended to cover the common man’s drink.
Consumer awareness plan to be developed by Consumer VOICE.
Iron particles in Tea are incidental contaminants as the abrasion caused due to movement and friction of Steel Tea Rollers & CTC machines (used to macerate the green tea leaves) result in the presence Iron particles (both free and impregnated) in manufactured Tea. FSSAI has already set a tolerance limit of 250 mg/kg and the industry continues to exercise all possible caution towards meeting this limit, through removal / minimizing presence of iron filings by extraction through high powered magnets as a process control during manufacture and post manufacture steps. BIS has developed a method to determine iron filings and FSSAI is also in the process of developing a method.
The need for judicious and rational use of pesticides and adoption of Integrated Pest Management are the important initiatives to be adopted to manage the pesticide residues in Tea and for offering a safe product to Consumers.

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Smart Products – a Boon or a Bane

by admin | Mar 11, 2021 | WCRD

Smart Products – a Boon or a Bane

We are digitally connected and wired in our daily lives. Our life is now measured by our presence in the digital space. Our life revolves around smart products and how smartly we use them. Your AC is switched on even before you enter your home, your smart phone reminds you of the next PPT presentation, your smart watch checks your daily calorie intake and your geyser remains ready with hot water on time. But the question is how trusted are our smart products and how much trust we can have on them.

The IoT (Internet of Things) as we know it is the key to smart shopping, smart transportation, smart homes, and smart healthcare. Software and hardware devices of trusted smart products are getting interconnected forming a meshed network of information, most of which is stored in the Internet. Trusted smart products help us to get digitally connected and a lot of data exchange happens through it.

The Human brain is no longer the only smartest thing now. It faces stiff competition (if you swear by smart products more than your brain) from smart speakers and products that make our homes, offices and vehicles smarter. It sets the alarm, it plays music the moment we ask for it, it reads aloud the news for us and even gets us traffic updates. So you can no longer give an excuse to your boss that you have been late to office because of traffic!
On a more serious note, home security system makes it easier to monitor what is going on inside and outside, or to see and talk to visitors virtually.
For consumers of the 21^st century, a smart home is one where they will come into contact with internet-enabled things. A smart healthcare system is one that will give us body signals even before we realize them. A smart school uses smart boards for making the GenZ smarter than ever. Smart products have made life simpler, and increased safety for children and the elderly. However, many of these innovations could have major implications for our personal privacy.

Software of trusted products if not updated on a regular basis makes it easier for hackers and risks the users’ private life. Hackers are now targeting IoT devices such as routers and webcams because of their lack of security. IoT devices are prone to virus attacks through malware across organizations.

Privacy remains a constant headache when all the sensors are collecting data. It can tell from when your day starts to when it ends; where are you going to what you are eating and when you are sleeping sensing the usage of smart devices timings.

Even a random survey in office or in your locality might reveal that most consumers or users are unaware about how personal information is collected, used and disclosed. Consumers International member Deco Proteste in Portugal, carried out mystery shopping for Smart TVs in shops. They found that no pre-purchase information was available to consumers on how the devices collected and used their data. However, agreeing to the provider’s data collection policy is essential in order to use the TV.

For our comfort, we as consumers have unwittingly compromised our privacy. So it is upto us now to decide how far can we go on this.

Just like every invention, smart products too have its own pros and cons, so does Internet of Things. So think before you get wired and digitally connected.

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