The future of e-commerce in India is bright, inclusive and transformative, the minister said emphasising the sheer size and potential of India market
New Delhi: Minister for Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday asserted that e-commerce companies have a significant role to play in ensuring transparent, trustworthy, and safe shopping environment for all consumers.
Speaking at Amazon smbhav Summit, Joshi outlined the government’s all-out efforts to ensure that consumer rights are protected through slew of measures such as Consumer Protection Act, establishment of central consumer protection authority, consumer helplines, and specific rules to protect consumers from unfair trade practices in e-commerce sector.
The future of e-commerce in India is bright, inclusive and transformative, the minister said emphasising the sheer size and potential of India market.
“While this digital revolution offers incredible opportunities, our government believes it is equally important for our consumers to feel confident and make informed choices, and for the e-commerce platforms to gain the trust and the confidence of the consumer is equally very, very, very important,” Joshi pointed out.
The rapid growth of e-commerce also brings with it the risk, specially around consumer protection and rights of users, he cautioned.
“Our government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has taken multiple initiatives to create a trusted and the safe e-commerce environment,” he said.
Rules are in place to protect the consumers from the unfair trade practices in the e-commerce sector.
“Online platforms are now required to provide accurate product details, clear pricing and disclose the country of origin and with clear return and the refund policy at the same time ensuring the product quality,” he said.
The minister also said that many-a-times platforms try and promote one particular brand, and when complaints are flagged by consumers, they claim they are just operating as a platform.
The minister’s statements assume significance as e-commerce giants have been facing allegations of deep discount, preferential treatment of sellers, and predatory pricing in the India market.
Joshi further said that the e-commerce momentum in India is being fuelled by strong economic growth, robust digital infrastructure, and low-cost data.
“…our consumer base is good and because of economic policies…India’s economy is growing…we are the fastest-growing economy of the world, and we are the fifth-largest economy of the world. We are going to become third largest economy of the world very shortly. That means we will have that much of a customer base,” he said.
The minister, however, emphasised the need for e-commerce companies to prioritise consumer interest.
“…mega company like Amazon, you are already trying to create awareness on the consumer protection,” he said.
Joshi recalled an incident when his wife ordered a ‘sari’ but was forced to lodge a compliant when the product delivered turned out to be a low-quality one.
“…my wife’s experience…she ordered a sari, and when it actually came, it was a different one, very low quality one. But ultimately, to get the refund, my wife was forced to lodge a complaint,” he said, adding that companies should ensure that consumers do not face such issues.
India, he observed, is taking remarkable strides in sustainability, driving significant initiatives to advance the renewable energy goals.
“In 2014, we were just generating 75 gigawatt (GW) of renewable energy…Today, India has crossed 212 gigawatt of renewable energy. Installed capacity is more than 43 per cent and our goal is to achieve 500 gigawatt by 2030, that is 50 per cent of our energy needs will be met by renewable energy by 2030,” Joshi, who is also Minister for New and Renewable Energy, said.
