consumer protection

reply to each student:

Student One

Product  safety is something that is very important for not only businesses to  have, but also to us as consumers. One legal protection that exists for  consumers is called the Consumer Product Safety Commission which  protects the public against unreasonable risks of injury that are  associated with consumer products. Another one is the Food and Drug  Administration. The purpose of the FDA is to protect public health by  assuring the safety and security of drugs and other food and cosmetic  products. Businesses also have many rules they need to follow to prevent  harm to consumers. A common breach we see from businesses is price  gauging. This is when the seller exploits short-term situations in which  buyers have fewer purchase options for essential products by raising  prices. The prices are not only raised but set at a point where it is  considered to be unreasonable. Some product I feel should be regulated  more to prevent harm to consumers is food. Comparing the healthiness of  our food to foods in other countries is remarkable. It’s common that  people who travel to France say their food is much better and they often  feel less bloated. People who are even gluten-free are able to go there  and eat gluten and be fine. I think if we had stronger regulations on  food the obesity rate would be much lower and people would be healthier  overall.

Shaw, W. H. (2017). Business ethics. Cengage Learning.

Student Two

There are several legal protections that exist for consumers to  ensure their safety and protect their rights in the marketplace. These  include laws and regulations for product safety, as well as those that  prevent deceptive advertising. Product safety laws and regulations are  designed to protect consumers from dangerous products. These laws  require manufacturers to test and certify their products, warn consumers  of any potential hazards, and provide instructions for safe use. Some  examples of product safety regulations include the Consumer Product  Safety Act, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and the Federal  Hazardous Substances Act (Shaw et al., 2017).

Another legal protection for consumers is the regulation of deceptive  advertising. This ensures that companies cannot make false or  misleading claims about their products in order to sell them. The  Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces laws that prohibit deceptive  advertising, including the Federal Trade Commission Act, the Truth in  Advertising Act, and the Lanham Act. Despite these legal protections,  there are still some products that need to be more strongly regulated to  prevent harm to consumers. One example is dietary supplements. Unlike  prescription drugs, dietary supplements are not required to undergo  pre-market testing for safety or efficacy (Shaw et al., 2017). As a  result, some supplements may contain harmful ingredients or interact  with other medications, leading to serious health problems.

Another example is electronic cigarettes. Although e-cigarettes are  marketed as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes, they are not  without risks. There have been reports of explosions and fires caused by  e-cigarettes, as well as lung injuries and deaths related to their use.  Stronger regulations on the manufacturing and marketing of e-cigarettes  could help prevent these harms. In general, any product that has the  potential to cause harm to consumers should be subject to strong  regulations to ensure their safety (Shaw et al., 2017). It is important  for consumers to be aware of their rights and to advocate for stronger  protections when necessary.

Reference

Shaw, W. H. (2017). Business ethics. Cengage Learning.