A Study on the Standing Orders governing the Protection of Consumer’s Rights in Sri Lanka: Covering the Districts of Colombo and Kegalle

Abstract

According to the Clause 75 of of the Ordinance Number 09 of Consumer Protection Affairs Authority of 2003, a consumer is identified as a person who at the end of the day, consumer a product or service made available to him. Therefore it is necessary to protect this customer, by ensuring the business community who provides these goods and services, do so in accordance with the laid down marking practices enforced by the relevant, authority. Even at present there are many protective bodies operating from an international level giving protective coverage, right into the national level. Out of these the Consumer protection Authority of Sri Lanka, holds a most important place. The aim of this study is to ascertain, the level of awareness among the public who obtain these services, regarding what those standing orders are. Such awareness could make the protective measures offered by the Authority really effective. The areas selected for this study are the Colombo and Kegalle Districts and for the purpose of this study 50 persons had been selected at random. For the purpose of the study data from primary and secondary sources was obtained and as quantitative data, simple statistical methods were used an as qualitative data, explanatory methods was used, and with the help of all these facts, the final analysis was carried out. The findings of our study shows that the consumers population in the Colombo District are better informed of the rights and protection given to them by the authority, than those living in the District of Kegalle. The evidence of this study prove that the majority of consumers living at the ground level in Sri Lanka, are not really aware of the consumer protection rights they have as consumers