Consumers Protection

Consumers protection.

A very common illegal practice in todays consumer society is misleading advertising. Consumers rights laws protect the consumers from false advertising. Any business that provide goods or services might advertise its offer with reduced prices just to attract as much publicity as possible. But when interested clients arrive the advertised service or good is no longer available. To the customers are offered other options that are full priced.

Another common situation is when the consumer is in a vulnerable position. For example when people are behind their bill or loan payment. The debt collectors might start calling the person directly in the mornings and in the evenings. They also might call their family or work place. Such activities also fall under the consumers protection law and therefore might be seen as illegal.

Consumer protection as a practice is relatively new in Lithuania. Due to history of Lithuania, Law on Consumers Protection was adopted in 1994, later on it was edited a few times to be closer to the European Union Consumer Protection law.

As the society is becoming more and more consumer based, the laws that protect individual consumers must change their intensity and focus. Governments that enforce and create these laws must adapt as fast as possible to avoid damage to the general public. Consumers must be educated what are their rights and responsibilities. They have to educate themselves as well.