DTI: 4 out of 5 consumers aware of their rights

More Filipinos are becoming aware of their consumer rights as the latest Pulse Asia survey results showed the highest figure for all the months of September beginning 2012.

Data showed consumer awareness level for September 2016 is at 78 percent, which also meant four out of five empowered Filipino consumers.  For the same month last year, the figure was at 75 percent.

By being aware, consumers can distinguish the reasonable prices of goods and are able to bring to the right authorities their complaints.

In a statement, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said this proved the Department of Trade and Industry was doing its job of educating Filipinos.

“The result should not be a source of complacency, but instead a motivation to improve even more our service to our customers,” Lopez said.

The same survey also recorded the highest number of respondents who found reasonable the prices of basic goods like canned fish and bread.

Respondents were asked whether or not the prices of basic goods were fair. In the same survey period, 41 percent of the respondents found the prices of canned fish reasonable. This was up from 32 percent recorded in the same month last year.

On the other hand, 49 percent of respondents found the prices of bread reasonable. This was also higher compared to 34 percent posted in September 2015.

“The challenge is for us to continue the momentum, if not improve the positive trajectory,” Lopez added.

The same attitude was reflected in terms of safety standards. An average of 73 percent of respondents, also the highest since 2012, believed products and services available in the market today were safe.

Since 2012, DTI has been commissioning Pulse Asia quarterly to monitor public perception on prices and safety standards as well as consumer awareness levels.

The latest survey period was done between Sept. 25 and Oct. 1. It has a margin of error of ± 3 percent at the national level with a 95 percent confidence level.