Rachagan, Sothi --- "Development and Consumer Law" [2010] ELECD 168; in Howells, Geraint; Ramsay, Iain; Wihelmsson, Thomas; Kraft, David (eds), "Handbook of Research on International Consumer Law" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2010)

Book Title: Handbook of Research on International Consumer Law

Editor(s): Howells, Geraint; Ramsay, Iain; Wihelmsson, Thomas; Kraft, David

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781847201287

Section: Chapter 3

Section Title: Development and Consumer Law

Author(s): Rachagan, Sothi

Number of pages: 30

Extract:

3. Development and consumer law
Sothi Rachagan



1. Introduction
The right to development is an enduring theme of concern to consumerists and
consumer organisations. The consumer movement's emphasis on develop-
ment became even more marked with the establishment in the last quarter of
the twentieth century of a large number of consumer groups in the developing
countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America. The influence of these groups led
the global consumer movement to add to Kennedy's four consumer rights
(safety, information, choice and representation) another four (the right to basic
goods and services, redress, education and a healthy environment).
The addition of the right to basic goods and services was a formal commit-
ment by consumer organisations to champion the attainment of the basic needs
of the poor, those on low incomes and the disadvantaged. `Value for people'
rather than just `value for money' became the guiding philosophy of the devel-
oping world consumer groups. They work on the problems faced by peasants,
farmers and fishermen and educate disadvantaged communities in such
matters as human rights and the starting of small businesses,1 going beyond
the traditional scope of consumer organisations. They have committed to the
reform of the World Trade Organisation2 and the realisation of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs).3


1 For a description of some of these programmes, see Asia Pacific Consumer
(2005), 41 (3), 31­6.
2 The Third World Network (headquartered in Penang, Malaysia) and the
Consumer Unity and Trust Society (headquartered ...