Logos and certification help consumers to get assured quality while purchasing goods and services. The organizations that monitor and issue these certifications allow producers to produce according to government specifications and to use their logos for their products. It is not compulsory that all producers follow standards in their produce. However, for some products that affect the health and safety of consumers or of products of mass consumption like LPG cylinders, cement, food, etc, it is mandatory on the part of the producers to get these certified by their organization.

The consumer are exploited by the producers or wholesalers in various ways like:
(a) Producers indulge in unfair trade practices like when the shopkeepers weigh less than what they should.
(b) When the producers or wholesalers add charges that were not mentioned before.
(c) When adulterated or defective goods are sold by producers or wholesalers.
(d) At times, false information is passed on through media and other sources to attract consumers, who thereby get exploited by using wrong products, which are health hazards.

In India, Hallmark is provided by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) which is the national standards organization of India. It is given to gold and silver jewellery in India. ISO certification is provided by International Standardisation Organisation (ISO). It is an international body with headquarters at Geneva, Switzerland, founded in 1947.

(i) A company, for years, sold milk powder for babies all over world as the most scientific product claiming to be better than mother's milk. It took years of struggle before the company was forced to accept that it had been making false claims.
(ii) Similarly, a long battle had to be fought with court cases to make cigarette manufacturing companies accept that their product could cause cancer. Hence, there is a need for rules and regulations to ensure protection for consumers.
(iii) It took many years for organizations in India, and around the world, to create awareness amongst people. This has also the responsibility of ensuring quality of goods and services on the sellers.
(iv) Because of all these efforts, the movement succeeded in bringing pressure on business firms as well as governmnet to correct business conduct, which may be unfair, and against the interests of consumers at large. A major step taken in 1986 by the Indian government was the enactment of the Consumer Protection Act 1986, popularly known as COPRA.
(v) There are today more than 700 consumer groups in the country. (any two points)

In October 2005, the Government of India enacted a law, popularly known as RTI (Right to Information) Act, which ensures its citizens all the information about the functioning of government departments. Right to information has been expanded to cover various services provided by the government. For example, if we buy a product and find it defective well before the expiry period, we can ask for a replacement.

Consumer Protection Act 1986 (COPRA) is enacted in India with following motives:
(i) To pressurize business firms.
(ii) To correct unfair business conduct.
(iii) To protect the interests of the consumers.

(i) Public Distribution System ensures availability of essential commodities like wheat, rice, sugar, edible oils and kerosene etc. to the consumers through a network of outlets or fair price shops. The need of public distribution system was felt to check the forces of supply and demand.
(ii) Apart from ensuring food security to the poor as a part of certain administrative measures, public distribution system is also expected to strengthen measures to prevent hoarding, black-marketing and over charging by traders.

The need for consumer awareness was felt because both the manufacturers and traders can go to any extent out of their selfishness. They can charge high prices, and resort to underweight and under measurement methods. Their lust for money may lead to loss of money and health of consumers.

These logos and certification help consumers get assured of quality while purchasing goods and services. The organizations that monitor and issue the certificates allow the producers to use these logos provided they follow certain quality standards.

(a) At the district level, it is called the District forum.
(b) At the state level, it is called the State Consumer Commission.
(c) At the national level, it is called the National Consumer Commission.