Who is a Consumer?

A consumer is not just someone who buys things. The word comes from the idea of "consuming" — using up goods or enjoying a service. But in law, especially under the Consumer Protection Act 2019, the definition is more precise. It draws a clear line between a genuine consumer and someone who buys for business or resale.

Under the Act, a consumer is a person who buys any goods or hires any service for a consideration — that is, for a price. The consideration may be fully paid, partly paid and partly promised, or covered under a scheme of deferred payment (where you pay in instalments later). The definition also includes any user of those goods or any beneficiary of the service, provided that use or benefit happens with the approval of the original buyer. So if you buy a refrigerator for your family, every family member who uses it is also a consumer under the law.

The Act covers all kinds of transactions — not just shop purchases. It applies to:

• Offline purchases (in a store)
• Online transactions through electronic means
• Teleshopping
• Direct selling
• Multilevel marketing

This exclusion is crucial. The law is designed to protect the end-user — the person who finally uses the product or service — not traders or businesses who buy to make a profit. For example, a shopkeeper who buys cartons of biscuits to sell in his store is not a consumer. But the customer who buys one packet from that shop and eats it is a consumer. …