Read the following statements and choose the correct option.
Assertion (A): Consumers need protection against the malpractices of sellers.
Reason (R): Consumers might be exploited by unscrupulous, exploitative and unfair trade practices such as adulteration and false and misleading advertising.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
Assertion (A): Consumers need protection against the malpractices of sellers. — True. Consumers need protection against the malpractices of sellers. This is the point ‘widespread exploitation of consumers’.
Reason (R): Consumers might be exploited by unscrupulous, exploitative and unfair trade practices such as adulteration and false and misleading advertising. — True. Sellers may use unfair trade practices such as adulteration and false and misleading advertising.
Why R explains A?
R shows the danger: sellers may cheat buyers through such practices. A consumer cannot always detect adulteration or a false claim on his own. Because consumers may be exploited in these ways, they need protection, so R gives the cause of A.
NCERT (2026-27 Edition): “Introduction … Have you ever thought what would be the plight of consumers if adequate protection is not provided to them? With growing competition and in an attempt to increase their sales and market share, manufacturers, sellers and service-providers may be tempted to engage in unscrupulous, exploitative and unfair trade practices like defective and unsafe products, adulteration, false and misleading advertising, hoarding, black-marketing, etc. This means that a consumer might be exposed to risks due to unsafe products, might suffer from bad health due to adulterated food products, might be cheated because of misleading advertisements or sale of spurious products, might have to pay a higher price when sellers engage in overpricing, hoarding or black-marketing, etc. As a result, consumer becomes unsafe, feels cheated and is exposed to many risks and health problems. …” “(iii) Widespread Exploitation of Consumers: Consumers might be exploited by unscrupulous, exploitative and unfair trade practices like defective and unsafe products, adulteration, false and misleading advertising, hoarding, black-marketing, etc. Consumers need protection against such malpractices of the sellers.” |