This article is written by Srilekha Raman of Tamil Nadu National Law University, an intern under Legal Vidhiya
ABSTRACT
In India, Voluntary Consumer Organizations (VCOs) have become important players in the consumer protection scene. Legally recognized under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, these organizations are empowered not only to educate consumers but also to initiate legal proceedings on their behalf. This article explores the evolving legal role of VCOs, particularly their ability to file complaints before consumer commissions, initiate class action suits, and engage in public interest litigation when systemic consumer rights violations occur.
While VCOs play a crucial role in ensuring widespread access to justice, they face challenges including limited resources and lack of structured engagement with policymakers. The article concludes by recommending technological advancements to strengthen the ability of VCOs to represent consumer interests effectively. Their legal activism is not just a right but a necessary function in ensuring fair and ethical market practices.
KEYWORDS
Voluntary Consumer Organisations, Consumer Protection, Equal access to justice, Public Interest Litigation, Legal Action, Consumer Rights, Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
INTRODUCTION
With the market growing at a rapid speed worldwide, consumer exploitation, malpractices and the practice of selling default and hazardous goods have also increased simultaneously. Since, not all consumers have access to appropriate remedy for these unlawful acts, several NGOs and organisations have taken up the responsibility of filing complaints and approaching the appropriate forum to obtain remedy for such practices. One among these organisations are Voluntary Consumer Organisations (VCOs).
These non-profit entities function to protect the rights and interests of consumers by filing grievances on their behalf. The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 recognised these organisations and gave them the legal power to file complaints on behalf of the consumers at large. This move has ensured that all consumers get access to justice. This article aims to explore the legal powers, roles, functions and challenges faced by VCOs and also discusses their importance in ensuring equal access to justice.
UNDERSTANDING VOLUNTARY CONSUMER ORGANISATIONS (VCOs)
Voluntary Consumer Organisations or VCOs are non-profit entities that are empowered by the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 to file complaints on behalf of all consumers, thus preserving their interests and rights while guaranteeing fair access to the legal system and its remedies. Therefore, an association of consumer activities that aims to safeguard both the activities of consumers and society at large is known as a voluntary consumer organization (VCO). [1]
The Consumer Protection act, 1986 recognised a complainant to be any voluntary consumer association registered under the Companies Act, 1956. The 2019 Act states it to be any VCA registered under any law that is in force currently. Thus, VCOs attained legal recognition.
Section 12 of the CPA, 1986 allowed collective representation of consumer issues and interests by organisations. It gave corporations the authority to take on claims even in situations where individual customers might not have the necessary funds or expertise. Additionally, it established a way to deal with systemic problems that impact several customers. [2]
The Consumer Guidance Society of India (CGSI), Common Cause, and the Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC) are a few prominent VCOs in India.
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES, FUNCTIONS AND ROLE OF VCOs
- Characteristics:
VCOs are non-profit organizations that prioritize public and societal good over profit. They focus on ensuring that the rights and interests of the public are met and that there are fair practices in the market. Moreover, they aim to advocate for the public and focus on societal wellbeing. They heavily depend on public support and volunteer labour. [3]
- Roles and functions:
Increasing consumer understanding of their rights is a consumer organization’s first aim. To achieve this, they publish journals and other materials like brochures and pamphlets to educate people on their rights and responsibilities. Secondly, they organise workshops, training programs, conferences and other programs to promote awareness among consumers.
Another important function of VCOs is that they collect data and samples of different products to test them for quality and other features. [4] These results are then declared to the public to increase awareness about contaminated, adulterated and defect products. This empowers consumers to be more careful while they purchase products and makes them more conscious and aware in the market, which automatically helps reduce unfair practices in the market.
For example, to assist customers in making educated decisions, groups such as Ahmedabad’s Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC) frequently release consumer guides on a range of goods and services.
The most important function of VCOs is filing complaints on behalf of consumers. Multiple times exploited consumers do not have the means to access the redressal mechanism or are not aware of the procedure to do the same. On behalf of these individuals, these organisations step in and bring a lawsuit before the court. Due to this initiative, consumers feel as though they are not alone which further empowers them to act upon their consumer rights and responsibilities.
Apart from these functions, VCOs also organise protests and social movements against products which are contaminated, defective or adulterated or against organisations that follow unfair and unlawful trading practices. Moreover, their help doesn’t stop with consumers; they also extend their support to the government. [5] Consumer organisations keep informing the government agencies about adulteration, artificial scarcity, inferior quality produce etc. to help the government.
They also are strong proponents of laws and policies that benefit consumers. They undertake various studies and research projects to identify gaps in the existing legislations to ensure that all consumer rights are protected and taken into consideration by the legislation and propose various amendments and policy changes to make these legislations more inclusive.
TYPES OF LEGAL ACTION BY VCOs
As mentioned above, one of the most important functions of VCOs is to take legal action against exploitative practices, organisations and defective products. To do this, they are legally empowered to take legal action by the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. This can be done by different ways.
Firstly, VCOs file individual complaints on behalf of a single consumer who has been affected and aggrieved by unfair practices, defective goods, or deficient services. Section 35(1)(c) of CPA, 2019 empowers such organisations to file complaints on behalf of consumers, with their consent.
Secondly, VCOs can file class action suits or group complaints. Therefore, when a large number or group of consumers are affected by the same issue or multiple issues arising out of the same cause of action, then VCOs can file complaints and approach the appropriate forum for remedy on behalf of these consumers. Section 35(1)(c) allows VCOs to file complaints for one or more consumers or in the interest of consumers in general.
VCOs can also file Public Interest Litigations (PILs) in the interest of general interests of the consumers. While PILs are not typically part of the CPA forum structure, VCOs can invoke Article 226 (the High Court) or Article 32 (the Hon’ble Supreme Court) to challenge violations of consumer rights when the issue involves policy, legislation, or inaction by authorities.
Apart from these, VCOs also organise public rallies and movements against unethical and unlawful practices to raise awareness among consumers and simultaneously urge organisations to adopt more fair and lawful measures.
CHALLENGES FACED BY VCOs
Even with legal recognition, VCOs face major challenges in realizing their full potential. One of the major challenges faced is the lack of sufficient resources. Due to their non-profit characteristic, VCOs often lack fund and appropriate resources to conduct its activities. Due to a lack of funds, these organisations can only afford to conduct preliminary research which lacks comprehensive data analysis. Lack of manpower is also a notable burden on these organisations. Their reliance on part-time volunteers affects consistency in performance. Due to these challenges, VCOs find it difficult to reach to under-developed areas like small villages and other remote areas.
Secondly, these organisations also face abundant procedural issues. Requirement of extensive documentation for representing complaints becomes a burden for VCOs as they represent multiple consumers and each complaint requires extensive documentation and evidence. Moreover, the lack of specialised legal expertise makes it difficult for such organisations to navigate through the legal technicalities that are a part of redressal mechanisms.
Delays in proceedings in the courts and redressal forums creates backlogs, making it difficult for such organisations to navigate through the high volume of cases filed. Such organisations also have trouble making sure that forum orders are followed.
Moreover, since VCOs coordinate with the Government, this coordination faces a lot of challenges. Voluntary Consumer Organizations (VCOs) often face bureaucratic resistance, as some government departments tend to view them as adversarial rather than collaborative stakeholders. This perception can hinder open dialogue and reduce the scope for meaningful cooperation. Additionally, the lack of structured engagement mechanisms leads to communication gaps between VCOs and policymakers, limiting opportunities for consistent and constructive input.
Another key challenge lies in policy integration, where consumer perspectives are often sidelined during the formulation of laws and regulations. Despite representing the public interest, VCOs may struggle to have their insights formally acknowledged in the decision-making process. Furthermore, maintaining a balance between independence and regulatory compliance presents a dilemma, as increased oversight can risk compromising the autonomy that allows these organizations to advocate freely and effectively.
EVOLUTION AND FUTURE PROSPECTS
The CPA, 2019 brought it a more evolved and better prospect for consumer interests. It created the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) which provided VCOs with additional avenues for engagement. [6] It also enabled VCOs to participate in alternative dispute resolution methods.
Moreover, the increased efficiency due to improvements in technology also shapes how VCOs will operate in the future. The digital age has significantly transformed how Voluntary Consumer Organizations (VCOs) operate and engage with the public. Social media has emerged as a powerful tool, enabling VCOs to amplify consumer voices and bring attention to unfair trade practices rapidly. Platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook are being used to create awareness campaigns, pressure brands, and even mobilize collective action. Simultaneously, VCOs are also investing in online complaint management systems, which allow consumers to register grievances more efficiently and track their resolution in real time.
Moreover, technology has enabled data-driven advocacy, where VCOs analyse consumer complaints to detect recurring patterns of exploitation, such as frequent complaints against a specific product or service provider. This helps them prioritize legal action or policy intervention. In addition, digital literacy programs have become a core part of their outreach efforts, aimed at educating consumers – especially those in rural and semi-urban areas – on how to navigate online marketplaces safely, recognize scams, and protect their digital consumer rights.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, Voluntary Consumer Organisations (VCOs) are non-profit entities that advocate and protect consumer rights and interests. They educate and create awareness amongst consumers about their rights and responsibilities and assist them is taking appropriate necessary legal action by approaching the necessary forum in representative capacity to get relief and justice against unfair, unlawful and unethical practices.
VCOs face a lot of challenges including material, procedural and collaborative hurdles among many other. To navigate these challenges, adopting and making use of emerging technology, can help these organisations in effectively handling the issues that come their way. Apart from this, a combined pro-active collaboration effort with the Government will also help in meeting these challenges.
REFERENCES
- https://www.brainkart.com/article/Voluntary-Organizations-for-Consumer-Awareness_40854/
- Amplifying Consumer Rights: VCOs’ Role Under the Consumer Protection Act 1986 • Law Notes by The Law Institute
- Consumer Organizations and NGOs – Role, Explanation, Consumer Affairs
- Consumer Movement in India: Issues, Approaches and Achievements
[1] Bharti Singh, Role of Voluntary Consumer Organisations in Consumer Protection and Welfare, RRJ, Vol. 4 Issue 1 (2019).
[2] THE LAW INSTITUTE, Accessed on July 17, 2025, Amplifying Consumer Rights: VCOs’ Role Under the Consumer Protection Act 1986 • Law Notes by The Law Institute.
[3] Ibid.
[4] BRAIN KART, Accessed on July 17, 2025, Voluntary Organizations for Consumer Awareness – Grievance and Redressal Mechanism | Consumer Protection.
[5] Ibid.
[6] THE LAW INSTITUTE, Accessed on July 17, 2025, Amplifying Consumer Rights: VCOs’ Role Under the Consumer Protection Act 1986 • Law Notes by The Law Institute.
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