Central Consumer Protection Authority
Topic: Statutory, Regulatory and Quasi-judicial Bodies · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) is a regulator set up on 24 July 2020 under the Consumer Protection Act 2019. It protects the rights of consumers as a group. It acts against unfair trade practices (dishonest ways of selling) and misleading advertisements. It can order unsafe goods to be recalled and can impose penalties. It matters because it lets the state act on its own against harm to many buyers, instead of waiting for each buyer to file a case.
Example
In 2023 the CCPA issued guidelines on dark patterns. These are tricky website or app designs that push users into buying or signing up for things they did not mean to.
Don't confuse with
- Consumer commissions: these are quasi-judicial bodies that hear and decide individual consumer complaints, much like courts. The CCPA is a regulator that acts against wrong practices across the market.
Related concepts
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
- Central Pollution Control Board
- National Medical Commission
- University Grants Commission
- Bar Council of India
- National Disaster Management Authority