Business Environment, 1st Edition by Pearson

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Part IV: Business and Society

far greater because the consumer is no longer in a position to rely

on his own judgement when buying a complex product like, say, a

computer. The second motivating force is the general move from

individualism to collectivism.

The genesis of consumer movement can be traced to the

consumer-related awareness that emerged in the United States

all through the fi rst half of the twentieth century. The 1920s

witnessed serious efforts being made to reduce the exaggerated

claims of advertisers of goods and services and demands made for

impartial testing of goods. A testing service was established in the

United States and it was so popular that it formed the basis for the

present Consumers’ Union. The 1930s witnessed ...