A critical description of consumer movement in India is as follows :

(i) The consumer movement in India started due to the dissatisfaction among the consumers, as the sellers were involved in many unfair practices.

(ii) Before 1986, there was no legal system available in the country at large to protect the consumer from exploitation in the market.

(iii) It took many years for various organizations in India to bring awareness among people. Both the shopkeepers and producers of our country used to shirk the entire responsibility of ensuring the quality of goods and services for the consumers.

(iv) Due to extreme food shortage, hoarding, black marketing, adulteration of food items and edible oil, a systematic consumer movement emerged in the 1960s.

(v) By the 1970s, consumer organizations had started publishing articles related to consumer rights in newspapers and organizing exhibitions on a large scale. He formed a consumer team to keep an eye on the unfair practices in Ration Bheor shops. In recent years there has been a huge growth in consumer parties in India.

(vi) A major step was taken by the Government of India in 1986 by passing a law called the Consumer Protection Act or COPRA.