New Consumer Protection Bill recognises growing e-commerce market place

Under the proposed law, to claim product liability, an aggrieved consumer has to prove any one of the conditions mentioned in the Bill with regard to a manufacturer, service provider and seller

The Consumer Protection Bill, 2018, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on the last day of the recently concluded winter session. The Bill seeks to replace the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, a law more than 30 years old. Roopal Suhag, analyst at PRS Legislative Research, takes a look at some key issues tackled in the Bill.

Why was there a need for a new legislation?

A steep transformation of the consumer markets for goods and services, along with the emergence of global supply chains and rapid development of e-commerce, has necessitated the need for a new law. The shortcomings in