How to raise a child to be a conscious consumer?

Children from an early age accompany us in most of the activities that are part of our everyday life. Shopping is one of the most common everyday activities. And we are talking here not only about grocery shopping, but also visits to e.g. shopping malls, which are often treated as an idea for spending free time. Right next to a family trip to the cinema or dinner in the city. The concept of the consumer is also inseparable from shopping. 

When you go shopping with your child and make a purchasing decision, taking the child's opinion into account, you may be tempted to ask: who of you is a consumer? Can a child be a consumer at all? Do you want to know the definition of this term? Or maybe you are wondering what are the consumer rights that are worth remembering and which are worth passing on to your child in order to raise them to be a conscious consumer? This article will help you find answers to these questions.

Who is a consumer: definition

You probably associate the word market with a space full of bustle and small stalls. However, in its global form, the notion of the market consists of all the transactions made by its participants. Inseparably connected with the market are: entrepreneurs and - consumers.

A consumer, in accordance with the statutory definition contained in art. 22(1) of the Act of April 23, 1964, the Civil Code is: a natural person who performs a legal act not directly related to his business or professional activity.

The importance of the consumer in the area of ​​trade is very important. As a market participant, it plays a key role for producers and sellers - it purchases goods and/or services. An important feature of the consumer is that he makes transactions on his own personal use and it is not related to his professional life. These transactions are referred to as legal transactions. That is, contracts concluded between the producer or seller and the consumer. Their conclusion usually ends with the receipt of a proof of purchase, which may be, for example, a receipt.

Who is the consumer: a child as a consumer

When explaining the definition of who is a consumer, an important question comes to mind: can children also be included in the group of consumers? This question is crucial, because children are quite an important group of recipients for producers. Why? Who of us can't recall at least one situation from a store where a child persuades their parents to buy a certain product? Exactly.

The youngest often influence the shopping choices made by adults. And it's usually not at all within the limits of the received ... pocket money.

And if about pocket money speech, keep in mind that Poland's children under the age of 13 according to the law, they do not have legal capacity. This means that without the consent of legal guardians (and in some cases - powers of attorney) they cannot independently conclude contracts and make commercial transactions, i.e. buy products.

However, the question whether a child can be a consumer should be answered in the affirmative. The child acts as a consumer, using or purchasing products and services intended for children through parents or legal guardians. Therefore, parents should know what consumer rights are in order to be able to raise a child to be a conscious consumer.

Remember that your shopping choices are also very important. In addition to being a conscious consumer, be a conscious parent. Make thoughtful purchases by choosing products that are safe for your children. These include, for example, products with a Positive Opinion of the Institute of Mother and Child. An opinion that fulfills the function of a triple guarantee of safety: general, health and developmental.

Conscious consumer: do you know what are consumer rights?

Do you know what consumer rights are? Ask yourself this question and try to answer it honestly. This is important, if only because of the unfair practices used by entrepreneurs, leading to making certain, not always accurate, purchasing decisions. Being smart when shopping is one thing. However, in the world of the consumer, awareness of his rights is of great importance.

Consumer rights: how to raise a child on conscious consumer?

If you don't know what consumer rights are worth talking to your child about, here are 3 basic rights that every conscious consumer should remember:

• Right of return - it is not a rule, but most stationary stores allow their customers to return purchased goods within a certain period of time from the date of purchase. The situation is different in the case of distance contracts, i.e. purchases made via the Internet. In this case, the customer is legally guaranteed the right to withdraw from the contract within 14 days of receipt of the goods.

• Warranty – statutory liability of the seller for physical and legal defects of products that the buyer did not know about at the time of purchase of the goods. The warranty – as a rule – covers a period of 2 years.

• Guarantee law – the manufacturer's commitment that the product will be functional for a certain period of time, e.g. 3 years. This is an additional entitlement that is voluntarily granted to the consumer by the manufacturer, less often by the distributor or importer. On its basis, you can file a complaint. The right of guarantee exists alongside the warranty. It is up to the buyer to decide which claim to use.

• Complaints law – is the right of the buyer against the seller/service provider responsible for the sale of goods that are not in accordance with the contract. When submitting a complaint, in many cases you can use the guarantee or warranty. As part of the complaint, the customer has the right to repair, replace or reduce the price of the product, and if this is not possible - to withdraw from the contract.

Conscious consumer and child education in practice

When and how to discuss consumer rights with a child? The best examples of everyday life:

• let's do thoughtful shopping, be interested in the content provided on labels products - the child is a good observer, he will certainly pay attention to it;
• When buying a product, make children aware of the essence of behavior proof of purchase;
• Let your toddler participate return of goodsor his complaints – while talking about the reasons for their actions.

These examples are just for inspiration. Everyday life gives us many opportunities to raise the subject of consumer rights with the child. By combining theory with practice, we make the child a participant in such a situation, which makes it easier for him to assimilate the knowledge passed on to him.

By educating your children about their rights, you give them a chance to become conscious consumers in the future, who not only make well-thought-out shopping choices, but also ensure that their rights are not violated.