Navigating life as a consumer with disability

Context

Despite the annual observance of World Consumer Rights Day, the challenges faced by consumers with disabilities in accessing goods and services remain largely overlooked, highlighting the need for enhanced awareness and policy measures to ensure inclusivity in the marketplace.

Challenges of Accessibility for Consumers with Disabilities:

• Lack of Access to Goods and Services: Consumers with disabilities often face barriers in accessing goods and services due to pervasive inaccessibility in the market. For instance, the absence of accessible transportation apps, lack of tactile pavements in buildings, and inaccessible customer support options hinder their ability to engage independently in consumer activities.
• Responsibility of Businesses: Businesses typically overlook persons with disabilities as their target consumers, resulting in inaccessible offerings. However, considering that persons with disabilities constitute a significant portion of the population (5-8% in India), businesses could enhance their consumer experience by making their offerings accessible, thus broadening their customer base.
• Role of Government: Government interventions through effective policy measures can bridge the gap in sensitization among businesses. Initiatives like issuing advisories for incorporating accessibility features, such as QR codes for product information, can significantly empower consumers with disabilities to access essential information independently. Comprehensive accessibility guidelines for all goods and services, inspired by global best practices, can further ensure inclusivity in the market.

Legal Reforms to Safeguard Consumer Rights:

• Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPWDA), 2016: The RPWDA grants various rights to persons with disabilities, including the rights to equality, accessibility, and reasonable accommodation. Provisions for universally designed consumer goods and accessible services aim to ensure inclusivity in the market. However, the effectiveness of enforcement mechanisms, such as Disability Commissions, needs improvement to provide adequate redress for violations.
• Consumer Protection Act (CPA), 2019: The CPA empowers Consumer Commissions to address consumer grievances and impose penalties against violations. While consumers with disabilities have successfully obtained remedies under the CPA, the lack of dedicated rights for them may deter them from filing complaints. Aligning the CPA with the RPWDA is crucial to ensure comprehensive protection for consumers with disabilities.
• Awareness and Advocacy: Raising awareness about existing rights and resources available to consumers with disabilities is essential. Despite efforts like the Jago Grahak Jago Campaign, attention to the rights of consumers with disabilities has been lacking. Advocacy efforts should focus on ensuring that consumers with disabilities are adequately represented and supported in consumer protection initiatives.