Does Literacy Rate and Locale of Residence Impact the Consumers’ Awareness for Consumer Awareness Campaigns?

Abstract

Recognizing the unveiling of technological gyration in the present emulous and rivalrous business world, which is coupled with ascending consumer expectations, cosmopolitan emphasis has been laid down by the Government of India on protection of consumers’ interest and to make a consumer an aware and informed consumer. For this, various initiatives have been taken by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, of which ‘JagoGrahakJago’ - a consumer awareness campaign - is a primary initiative via which endeavor has been made to make consumer aware about consumer rights and responsibilities, and Consumer Dispute Redressal Mechanism. To assess the efficacy of such campaigns, and for assessing and valuating the impact of literacy rate and locale of residence on consumers’ knowingness with respect to consumer determinants such as consumer campaigns, consumer pre and post purchase responsibilities, and consumer dispute redressal mechanism, the present study has been conducted for which data was gathered from 600 respondents - equal number from the state of Punjab and Haryana - using a well-structured questionairre. For perusal of data so gathered, the statistical tests such as chi-square, t-test and F-test have been employed. Analysis reflected significant difference in respondent’s perception with respect to purpose of creating CACs. While measuring the impact of locale of residence on various consumer awareness determinants, significant difference between rural and urban respondents from Punjab was found as far as post purchase awareness of consumer responsibilities is concerned, whereas significant difference between rural and urban respondents from Haryana was found for the consumer determinant pre purchase awareness of consumer responsibilities. Significant difference between the extent of consumers’ awareness of the respondents hailing from selected districts of Punjab and Haryana with varied literacy rate with regard to consumer determinants consumer dispute redressal mechanism has been observed.