This section includes all editions of the Caveat Emptor columns that appeared in The Hindu from 2005 to 2015.
Today India has a large buyers market and consumers have the liberty of an enormous variety of choices with regard to the products or services they want. Along with this freedom of choice comes the caveat of an equal number of ways to be cheated. Informed choices by consumers are entirely dependent on the level of consumer awareness. Despite the existence of consumer rights, consumer laws, consumer courts, and grievance redress mechanisms, a majority of consumers, even today, are ignorant or unaware of how to deal with their problems. The complexity is increased due to a wide range of services and products that consumers have to deal with on a daily basis and the constant sales pressure from manufacturers and service providers through innovative means to lure consumers into buying products and services. Another major drawback lies in the consumers' haste in buying products and services without ascertaining facts.