Leading E-commerce Companies to Embrace Safety Pledge on National Consumer Day

New Delhi, Dec 14 (NationPress) Renowned e-commerce platforms like BigBasket, Tata Cliq, Tata 1mg, Zomato, and Ola are set to adopt the Safety Pledge to protect consumer interests in celebration of National Consumer Day on December 24, 2024, as revealed by the Department of Consumer Affairs on Saturday.

The Safety Pledge represents a voluntary commitment from e-commerce platforms to identify and prevent the sale of unsafe, spurious, and non-conforming products, while collaborating with relevant statutory authorities tasked with product safety. It also aims to enhance consumer awareness regarding product safety among sellers and empower consumers to make informed choices.

The initiative, introduced by the Department of Consumer Affairs, seeks to protect the interests of consumers in the digital marketplace.

In November 2023, a committee chaired by noted consumer advocate and journalist Pushpa Girimaji was established to draft this pledge, comprising significant e-commerce players, industry representatives, and legal experts.

The final version of the pledge was developed after a thorough consultative process undertaken by the Committee and subsequent evaluation by the Department of Consumer Affairs.

Globally, various jurisdictions have encouraged e-commerce platforms to adopt a voluntary safety pledge, serving as an informal commitment to proactively address liability concerns, especially in situations where the actual seller is untraceable or reluctant to assume responsibility.

The distinct nature of e-commerce, where consumers cannot physically inspect products prior to purchase, highlights the critical significance of product safety, based on the expectation that products will comply with safety standards and regulations. Therefore, product safety is of utmost importance for online consumers, according to the statement.

The sale of items that are unsafe or do not meet relevant standards on e-commerce platforms poses a serious risk to consumer safety and public health. This is especially pertinent for products required to adhere to standards under Quality Control Orders (QCOs), as detailed in the statement.

With over 880 million users, India ranks as the second-largest internet market worldwide. By 2030, India is anticipated to have the second-largest online shopper base globally, with an estimated 500 million shoppers. Given the continuous growth of e-commerce in India, ensuring the safety of products sold online is crucial for consumer welfare.

The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 emphasizes the importance of safety and product standards at the point of purchase. The 'consumer rights' defined under Section 2(9) of the Act include the right to be shielded from the marketing of goods, products, or services that pose hazards to life and property, as well as the right to be informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard, and price of goods, products, or services to safeguard consumers against unfair trade practices, according to the official statement.

Misrepresenting goods as being of a certain standard, quality, quantity, grade, composition, style, or model is considered unfair trade practice under Section 2(47) of the Act. Moreover, items that fail to comply with mandatory standards as dictated by current laws may be classified as defective under Section 2(10) of the Act.

Importantly, the responsibilities of e-commerce entities outlined in Rule 4(3) of the Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules, 2020 include the obligation to refrain from engaging in any unfair trade practices during business operations on their platforms, as noted in the statement.