The Right to Be Informed: A deeper look into Indian consumer law

The Right to Be Informed is one of the most powerful tools available to Indian consumers.

Enshrined in the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, it ensures that consumers are given complete, accurate, and truthful information about the goods and services they purchase and thereby allowing them to make informed choices and protect themselves from deceptive practices.

In an economy where advertising, packaging, and digital marketing often exert a powerful influence over consumer decisions, this right plays a vital role in preventing misrepresentation, fraud, and exploitation.

What does the “Right to Be Informed” mean?

The Right to Be Informed guarantees that consumers:

Have access to full details about the product or service, including ingredients, quality, quantity, origin, price, and usage instructions
Are protected from false, misleading, or exaggerated claims
Are made aware of potential risks, side effects, or limitations of products/services
Receive truthful labelling and advertising
Can rely on information to compare products, services, and prices before buying

This right is not only about transparency, it’s about empowerment: a well-informed consumer can identify fraud, demand accountability, and make ethical and financially sound decisions.

Legal frameworks supporting the right

Several Indian laws and agencies work together to protect this right:

1. Consumer Protection Act, 2019

The Consumer Protection Act prohibits unfair trade practices, including:

Misleading advertisements
False representations of quality, quantity, or pricing
Non-disclosure of essential information

It empowers authorities to penalise violators and order the withdrawal of misleading ads or product recalls.

2. Legal Metrology Act, 2009

The Legal Metrology Act mandates that all packaged goods display essential information such as:

Manufacturer name and address
Manufacturing and expiry date
Net quantity
Maximum Retail Price (MRP)
Consumer helpline number

Non-compliance can lead to penalties, seizures, or criminal prosecution.

3. Sector-specific regulations

There are other regulation which apply to different industries and sectors which set certain standards. This includes:

Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI): Ensures food products disclose ingredients, allergens, nutrition facts, etc.
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS): Certifies product standards and issues ISI marks to indicate compliance.
Telecom, Insurance, Pharma Regulators: Each has disclosure norms to prevent consumers from being misled about service terms, pricing, or product safety.

Application in Practice

1. Product labelling

Consumers today can find vital details on packaging, especially on items like food, cosmetics, medicines, and electrical appliances. This includes:

Ingredients and allergens (food)
Dosage, expiry, and warnings (medicines)
Power rating and ISI certification (electronics)

2. Misleading advertisements

The law now holds celebrities, influencers, and endorsers accountable for false claims. The CCPA (Central Consumer Protection Authority) can:

Ban misleading ads
Fine endorsers up to ₹10 lakh for first-time offenses
Order product/service modification or recall

3. Online shopping disclosures

Today, when millions of people rely on online shopping for many of their goods and services e-commerce platforms are now also required to:

Clearly display price breakdowns, return policies, and delivery timelines
Reveal seller information
Disclose whether a product is refurbished or new

Challenges to implementation

Despite progress, several issues limit the full realisation of this right:

Low literacy and awareness: Many consumers don’t read labels or understand their meaning.
Digital misinformation: Online platforms often blur the line between ads and information, making it difficult to detect false claims.
Small-scale sellers’ non-compliance: In rural areas, many products still don’t follow proper labelling norms.

Why the “Right to Be Informed” matters

Informed consumers are protected consumers. They are better equipped to:

Detect fraud
Compare alternatives
Avoid health and financial risks
Assert other consumer rights, like the right to redressal

This right also places pressure on manufacturers and service providers to maintain honesty, transparency, and ethical standards in advertising and labelling.

Conclusion

The Right to Be Informed is not just a consumer protection tool, it is a cornerstone of responsible commerce.

In India, as markets become more complex and choices more abundant, this right ensures that consumers are not taken advantage of, misled, or manipulated.

But the law alone is not enough. Consumer education, digital literacy, and vigilance are equally important to make this right meaningful in practice. When consumers demand accurate information and hold companies accountable, they create a market that is not only fair but also fundamentally just.