The Securities and Exchange Commission is adding to the scrutiny of Herbalife, the nutritional supplements company that has been a favorite target of prominent hedge fund short-sellers.

The agency’s enforcement unit has opened an investigation into the company, according to a person briefed on the matter. The inquiry, which is being run out the S.E.C.’s New York office, is likely to examine the company’s sales practices. Herbalife operates through a network of independent resellers who are incentivized to recruit others.

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Ahmedabad, September 19, 2012

Consumer Education & Research Society (CERS), an Ahmedabad-based NGO working for consumers’ interest, has once again ensured that gullible consumers do not fall prey to unfair trade practices adopted by many of the goods manufacturers and service providers. This time the company in question is a multinational dealing in electronic goods, which was ignoring its obligation arisen out of the warranty given to the buyer of a high-end camera. CERS successfully represented the case in the consumer forum on behalf of Nirmal Ojha, a resident of Ahmedabad, and got him compensated for the defective product along with interest, and the mental agony he had faced and the litigation charges involved.

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PepsiCo Ordered to pay Rs. 50,000 to Consumer Welfare Fund of India

Ahmedabad, September 14, 2012

Contrary to the commonly-held belief that well-known, leading brands live up to their name and  refrain from duping consumers, Consumer Education & Research Society (CERS), Ahmedabad, has brought to light one case wherein the Indian subsidiary of the international food & beverages giant PepsiCo was found selling underweight packets of its popular potato chips brand “Lay’s”.

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The Procedure to seek Consumer Protection

-Puneet Chaturvedi, Advocate

The Consumer Protection Act provides for the Central Consumer Protection Council, State Consumer Protection Council and three tiers of the Consumer Redressal Authorities i.e. District Consumer Forum, State Consumer Commission and the National Consumer Commission  were established to provide speedy and simple remedy to consumer disputes through a quasi-judicial machinery.

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For the full act available on Consumers Help Line – Click Here

Consumer Handbook (India Diary) is a very interesting write-up in pdf format. The Table of Contents includes the following :

YOU, THE CONSUMER

Who is a consumer?
Why should consumers be protected?
What are your rights & responsibilities as a consumer?
What are Unfair Trade Practices?
How to be a smart consumer?
In case of a problem …
CONSUMER vs. PRODUCTS & SERVICES
The products you buy
The food you eat
Shopping for clothes
Gadgets and gizmos devices
All that glitters…
Currency county – your money in the bank
Are you insured?
Telecommunications
Health is Wealth
Public Distribution System
Dispatch riders
Going where you want to go
The POWER corridor
Real Estate – your house
Elixir and essentials of life
Things to know while you are on the Internet

BEING ECO-FRIENDLY CONSUMERS
DISPUTE RESOLUTION
RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT

Click Here to view / download the PDF file