The Public Newsense (January - March 2023)
Read about the latest on those policies and events that shape our city, our nation and the world around us. And read about CAG's latest work across our different areas of work.
The Public Newsense
Greenwashing: An introduction (Part - 1)
A recent survey found that 66% of consumers prefer to purchase eco-friendly products. Consumers are now more environmentally conscious and their preferences have shifted to reflect this.
Road Infrastructure 101: How not to build a liveable, sustainable city
On Twitter I came across someone lamenting a recently announced plan to build more flyovers in some Indian city (it matters not which city as this is a common phenomenon across the country). The tweet pointed out that increasing road infrastructure for private vehicles only encourages more private vehicles and it's a zero sum game. Of course, Twitter being what it is, someone immediately took umbrage, accusing the person of wanting to deny economically/socially disadvantaged people from climbing up the ladder and having access to their own personal vehicle.
The Indian driving licence apparatus - a cakewalk to kill?
Let us start by answering a straightforward question: do we drive on the left or the right of the road? The answer is, in India we do ‘both’. This stinging satire is enough to summon our memories of everyday terrifying experiences on roads.
E-commerce ‘'Dark Patterns'’ - An Unfair Trade Practice
Over the past few decades, the e-commerce sector has evolved significantly. Consumers are making more online purchases than ever before. To battle growing competition, e-commerce retailers are modifying their online platforms such that it attracts customers, grabs their attention and nudges them towards completing the purchase by well designed user interfaces that influence users’ behaviour. It is not unusual for customers to add products to an e-com shopping cart, only to abandon the cart and move on to another website.
The Public Newsense (October - December 2022)
Read about the latest on those policies and events that shape our city, our nation and the world around us. And read about CAG's latest work across our different areas of work.
Understanding the different charges when obtaining a new electricity connection
Electricity is such an essential part of our everyday life that we do not consider the effort, both physical and economic, by the distribution utility to supply it to us. These include, but are not limited to, the raw materials that are used to supply electricity (such as wires),the labour needed to install meters, place underground wires, the transportation of materials needed to undertake the work etc. These costs are therefore levied as charges by the electricity distribution company on the consumer who wants a new electricity connection to his/her premises.
An analysis of the e-com complaints received by CAG during 2021-22
Citizen consumer and civic Action Group (CAG), for the last 37 years, has been offering a free and voluntary consumer protection service. Consumers can write in or call with their grievances, which could be against services or goods bought by them. They will receive advice and support throughout the redressal process.
Free bus for women: a hit or miss?
In May 2021, the Tamil Nadu government launched a scheme that made public city and town buses (with certain caveats) free for women. While the rides are completely free (with no restrictions on the number of trips per day or month), the scheme is applicable only on ‘white board’ buses. The white board buses are what are known as Ordinary Bus Routes and represent the most inexpensive category of service that halts at all bus stops on a given route.
CCPA's guidelines on ‘Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements, 2022’
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) on June 9th of 2022 issued guidelines aiming to further protect consumers from claims and promises from advertisements that are misleading, baseless, unjustified, unrealistic, false, etc.