Meaning of Consumer

A consumer is a person who consumes or uses any goods or services. Goods may be consumables like wheat flour, salt, sugar, fruit, etc. or durable items like television, refrigerator, toaster, mixer, bicycle, etc. Services refer to items like electricity, cooking gas, telephone, transportation, film show, etc.

Normally, it is the consumption or use of goods and services that makes the person to be called as consumer. But in the eyes of law, both the person who buys any goods or hires any service for consideration (price) and the one who uses such goods and services with the approval of the buyer are termed as consumers.

For example, when your father buys apple for you and you consume them, your father as well as yourself are treated as consumers. The same thing applies to hiring a taxi to go to your school. In other words, even the buyer of goods and services whether he uses them himself or purchases them for consumption or use by some other persons is treated as consumer in the eyes of law.

However, a person who buys goods for resale (like wholesaler, retailer, etc.) or for any commercial purpose is not treated as consumer. Under the Consumer Protection Act 1986, the word Consumer has been defined separately for the purpose of goods and services.

1. For the purpose of goods, a consumer means (i) one who buys any goods for consideration; and (ii) any user of such goods other than the person who actually buys it, provided such use is made with the approval of the buyer. The expression ‘consumer’ does not include a person who obtains such goods for resale or for any commercial purpose.

2. For the purpose of services, a consumer means (i) one who hires any service or services for consideration; and (ii) any beneficiary of such services provided the service is availed with the approval of such person.