ABSTRACT
Like many things in life, consumerism is a two-edged sword. There is great virtue in competition and choice over goods and services. The consumer rights movement all over the world has empowered households to secure better value for money in the things they buy. Virtually no one would prefer the shoddy, outdated goods, and disdainful and inefficient services, which characterised those provided by monopolistic suppliers, either in the state or the private sector. Consumer power, too, has the potential to supplement regulation in promoting environmental stewardship by big business.
