Question : Guidelines for Brand Ambassadors

(a) whether the Government has decided to formulate any guidelines for brand ambassadors endorsing various commercial products and services and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government proposes to make them responsible for gross misrepresentation of facts and misleading advertisement and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has recently reviewed the performance of Grahak Suvidha Kendra Scheme, if so, the details and the outcome thereof along with the number of new Kendras proposed to be set up; and
(d) the steps being taken to check over charging for goods and services and create consumer awarencess in this regard?

THE MINISTER FOR
CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN)

(a) : No, Madam. At present, no guidelines have been framed for brand ambassadors endorsing various commercial products and services.
(b) : The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution in its 9th report on the Consumer Protection Bill 2015 has recommended that stringent provisions may be made in the Bill to tackle misleading advertisements as well as to fix liability on endorsers/celebrities.
(c) : The performance of the Grahak Suvidha Kendras has been reviewed recently and they have been asked to have better coordination with State Administration. No new Grahak Suvidha Kendras are proposed to be set up.
(d) : As per Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, no retail dealer or other person including manufacturer, packer, importer and wholesale dealer shall make any sale of any commodity in packed form at a price exceeding the retail sale price thereof. The Legal Metrology Act, 2009 provides for penalty for violation of declarations on the package. Under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 a consumer can make a complaint in a Consumer Forum against defective goods and deficient services and also against unfair trade practices. Through Jago Grahak Jago campaign, consumer awareness is being created to check maximum retail price of products before purchase.