DEFINITION OF CONSUMER EDUCATION
Consumer education is the preparation of an individual to be capable of
Making informed decisions when it comes to purchasing products in a consumer culture. It
generally covers various consumer goods and services, prices, what the consumer can expect,
standard trade practices, etc. While consumer education can help consumers to make more
informed decisions, some researchers have found that its effects can drop off over time,
suggesting the need for continual education. New dimensions of consumer education are also
beginning to emerge as people become more aware of the need for ethical consumerism and
Sustainable consumer behaviour in our increasingly globalized society.
Consumer education is viewed as preparation for decision making. It is not feasible to directly
measure consumer education’s value in improving decision making. However, there are
identifiable factors which can be assumed to be related to consumer effectiveness. This
confusion in definition of consumer education content is not a new problem faced by curricula
developers. In an analysis of course content found that similar confusion and overlap existed at
that time, and suggested greater specification of content division and areas of interdisciplinary
coverage. His suggestions have gone unheeded for over 40 years, while the muddled state of the
content has become a tradition.
The panel consisted of nationally recognized representatives of: * the economic interests of
labor,
The economic interests of business,
Economic educators,
Consumer economists,
Consumer activists,
* family life educators, and
*education administrators
Consumer Classroom- is about helping teachers to educate young people for the life ahead of
them. It is about preparing them with the skills they need so that they consume in a conscious
way and understand their role as actors in the economic system-creating a better society for us
all. Key concepts of Consumer Education
1. Who is consumer? 2. What is Consumer Education?
3. Why do we need Consumer Education?
1. Who is consumer?
A consumer is a person who consumes goods, services and gift of nature forher satisfaction and
general well-being.
2. What is Consumer Education?
It is important and understands that “consumer education” means different things to different
people. For instance:
> To an ordinary consumer, education is viewed as information to help him/her to make better
choices of goods and services in the market place.
> To business person views consumer education as activities that assists in selling services and
products.
>A Bureaucrat views consumer education as a programme to complement and supplement laws
and regulations that foster trade competition and an educated body of consumers will ensure
protection for the consumers.
► A consumer advocate sees consumer education as providing information to consumer to
protect them from fraudulent trade practices and exploitative market operation.
And an educator sees consumer education as development of skills and knowledge that assist
consumers to play their role effectively in the market place.
3. Why do we need Consumer Education?
We need consumer education to build our knowledge, skills, aptitudes, values and capacity to
play the role of a responsible consumer.
There are 5 important aspects to consumer education Informed Choice
Consumer Education must be functional. The business of living in this modern world is complex
and can be bewildering. We must learn to obtain information on goods and services, discriminate
between sources of information, understand the alternatives of conserving and saving rather than
buying and consuming.
► Value Systems
Consumer Education must include the development of a value system. We must learn how to
share and care.
Recognition of Responsibility and Rights
In pursuing the daily business of living, we play three distinctive roles, namely that of a worker,
consumer and citizen, Sometimes such role can impinge upon and must be in conflict with one
another. Wise Decision Making
To make careful and wise decision we need information to make informed choices. We also
require developing the correct attitude and orientation. In addition we must be come aware of our
roles, responsibilities and rights.
Catalyst for Action
Consumer education must catalyst action. We must be aware of the available avenues of
consumer complaint and redress and learn to use them for our benefit. Most important, consumer
education should help in developing the intellectual processes of inquiry and problem-solving,
motivate participation and social concern in promoting not only value for money but also value
for people as human beings.
A.TRUE or FALSE:
Direction: Write T if the statement is true and F if the statement is false.
Consumer Education is concerned with teaching people the skills, attitudes and knowledge
required for living in a consumer society.
2. Consumer Classroom is about helping teachers to educate young people for the life ahead of
them.
3. Consumer Education enable consumers to consider seriously and carefully the environment
and social impacts of our economic decisions and the sustainability of the ecosystem in
supporting life on this planet. 4. As an educator sees consumer education as development of
skills and
Knowledge that assist consumers to play their role effectively in the market place.
5. A consumer advocate sees consumer education as providing information to consumer to
protect them from fraudulent trade practices and exploitative market operation?
6. To businessperson viewS Consumer education as activities that assists in selling services and
products.
7. Consumer Classroom is about helping teachers to educate young people for the life ahead of
them.
8. Not necessary to know the contents/nutritional fact of a certain products. 9. Does consumer
education should help in developing the intellectual processes of inquiry and problem-solving,
motivate participation and
Social concern in promoting not only value for money but also value for people as human
beings
10. Ordinary consumer do not view information to help him/her to make better choices of goods
and services in the market place.
