World Consumer Rights Day 2022: The consumer movement marks 15th March with World Consumer Rights Day every year, as a means of raising global awareness about consumer rights and needs. Celebrating the day is a chance to demand that the rights of all consumers are respected and protected, and to protest against market abuses and social injustices which undermine those rights.
World Consumer Rights Day is an annual occasion for celebration and solidarity within the international consumer movement. Participants observe the day by promoting the basic rights of all consumers, demanding that those rights are respected and protected, and protesting about the market abuses and social injustices which undermine them.
World Consumers Rights Day 2022: History
World Consumer Rights Day was inspired by President John F Kennedy, who sent a special message to the US Congress on 15th March 1962, in which he formally addressed the issue of consumer rights. He was the first world leader to do so. The consumer movement first marked that date in 1983 and now uses the day every year to mobilise action on important issues and campaigns.
Consumer rights activist Anwar Fazal working for Consumers International at the time later proposed the observance of a ‘World Consumer Rights Day’ marking that date, and on 15 March 1983 consumer organisations started observing that date as an occasion to promote the basic rights of consumers
The Consumer Rights Day theme every year is decided by the Consumers International organisation. Consumers International is the membership organisation for consumer groups around the world. Founded on 1 April 1960, it has over 250 member organisations in 120 countries. Its head office is based in London, England, with regional offices in Latin America, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa.
Theme and Significance for World Consumers Rights Day 2022
The theme for World Consumer Rights Day (15 March 2021), consumers will join together to Tackle Plastic Pollution.
The world is currently facing a global plastic pollution crisis. Although plastic can be a highly useful material in everyday life, our consumption and production of plastics have become unsustainable.
The Pew Charitable Trusts & SYSTEMIQ report, Breaking the Plastic Wave, released in August 2020, calculates the flow of plastic materials into the ocean will triple by 2040 if major innovations and changes in policy and behavior do not occur.
Now is a critical time in highlighting, addressing, and tackling plastic pollution as the global COVID-19 pandemic adds to the rise of single-use plastics including face masks, gloves, and food packaging.
A global study in 2019 found that 82% of respondents are aware of plastic waste and already taking practical actions to tackle plastic pollution. As a global consumer movement, we must support consumers to mobilise businesses, governments, and civil society to make tackling plastic pollution and sustainable consumption the easy choice for all.
This year, Consumers International will be showcasing how consumer advocacy around the world has been demanding change from governments and businesses. There is not a single solution to tackling plastic pollution, so Consumers International has now created the 7 Rs Model of Waste Management (replace, rethink, refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, and repair), to demonstrate different ways to combat this issue.
