World consumer rights day observed with focus on safe products and consumer confidence

Kathmandu: World Consumer Rights Day is being observed across the globe today, March 15. The day is celebrated every year with the aim of raising awareness about consumer rights.

The theme for World Consumer Rights Day 2026 is ‘Safe Products, Confident Consumers’. This theme emphasizes the importance of ensuring product safety, enforcing strict regulations against dangerous goods, and building consumer confidence in both physical and digital markets. It conveys the message that safe products strengthen consumer trust.

On March 15, 1962, the then US President John F. Kennedy declared safety, information, choice, and hearing as the four fundamental rights of consumers. The day is commemorated worldwide in remembrance of that declaration.

Building on this foundation, the United Nations General Assembly further expanded consumer rights by adopting the Convention on Consumer Protection in 1985. Since then, many countries have introduced and implemented their own consumer protection laws.

The eight major rights of consumers include the right to safety, information, choice, hearing, consumer education, redress, access to basic necessities, and a clean and healthy environment.

In Nepal, the day is also being observed by organizing various awareness programs on the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day.