Pralhad Joshi calls for increased awareness on high quality products

Taking pot-shots at the air purifier industry, he said that consumers should be aware of the quality and standard of the products they buy and should not fall for misleading claims

Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi said in New Delhi on Monday (October 14, 2024) that the well-being of consumers depend on their access to quality products. Taking pot-shots at the air purifier industry, he said that consumers should be aware of the quality and standard of the products they buy and should not fall for misleading claims.

He said the ‘one nation, one standard’ policy will ensure coherence and synergy among stakeholders working towards a unified standards framework in the country.

Mr. Joshi was speaking at an event on World Standards Day organised by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). He asked the BIS to ensure that every citizen has access to safe, reliable and high quality products and services. He said that while the well-being of consumers depend on the access to quality products, the growth and profitability of the industry is linked to the demand for such high-quality goods.

“This is a holistic approach acknowledging the interdependence of consumers and producers fostering the robust quality ecosystem,” he said.

Citing the example of air purifiers, he said that as discussions have begun on air pollution, people are, out of fear, buying air purifiers looking at the Air Quality Index (AQI) on their mobiles. “Air purifiers make such false claims. We see that in air purifiers so much is written, but have nothing in it. Even though there is only just a fan inside, claims are still made,” Mr. Joshi said.

Praising the BIS for its efforts in standardisation of products, Mr. Joshi said that more than 22,300 standards are in force at present in the country and 94% of Indian standards are being harmonised with International Organisation for Standardisation’s (ISO) standards. “Enhancing public awareness about standards is essential for empowering consumers,” he said.

Published - October 15, 2024 02:42 am IST