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Consumer education

Photo of people in a shoppingcenter For consumers to be truly effective and demanding in their selection and use of goods and services, they need more than simply information - they need to be able to use that information.

Given the importance of consuming in today's world, consumer skills are a pre-requisite for active citizenship and full participation within society.

What is consumer education?

Consumer education is concerned with the skills, attitudes, knowledge and understanding necessary to become an effective consumer. Mere factual information about a product, service, or a legal right is not enough. Consumers need to be able to manage resources, obtain information about competing products and services, and they need to evaluate one product against another in order to make a choice.

Beyond economic transactions

Photo of corporate headquarters, large glass and steel designed buildings. Consumer education;

explores the wider dimensions of consumerism, beyond pure economic transactions,
encourages the exploration of the political dimension of consuming,
examines the way consumer issues touch upon social, environmental, political, local, national and global concerns.

Links

National Consumer Council - www.ncc.org.uk/consumereducation/index.htm

Welsh Consumer Council - www.consumereducation.org.uk

Office of Fair Traiding - Consumer Education
www.oft.gov.uk/Adviser+resources/Consumer+education/default.htm