Voices for Change: the Consumer Right to Representation

World Consumer Rights Day 2002: Voices for Change
Contents
1 Voices for Change: An overview 8
Introduction 8
The right to representation 8
Representation, not rhetoric 9
Brazil: Lost the battle, won the war 9
Obstacles to representation 10
Weak representative base 10
Competing claims to representation 10
Accepting compromises 10
Staying “legit” in the eyes of government 10
State of play 11
WCRD action 11
Action prior to WCRD 12
Action on WCRD 12
After WCRD 12
2 Consumer Representation and Social Justice 13
The globalisation of protest 13
Representation strategies 14
Legitimacy and accountability 14
Four reasons for representation 16
3 Models of Representation and Consultation 17
Hearing the consumer 17
Speaking for others? 17
Key factors: Powers, resources and independence 18
Five models of consumer involvement 18
Model 1: Formal representation by appointees or delegates 18
Model 2: Formal open consultation 19
Model 3: Public participation 20
Model 4: Research-based approaches 20
Model 5: Special legal powers for consumer organisations 20
Examples from Asia 21
Representation provided by statute 21
Representation in government and industry
consultative mechanisms 21
Representation in industry-funded mediation schemes 21
Representation by the initiative of consumer groups 21
Principles of representation 22
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