CONSUMERS PROTECTION AND RIGHTS : Graduate paper

Potrošač je pojedinac koji koristi kupljenje proizvode i usluge isključivo za osobne svrhe. Trgovci nude proizvode i usluge i trude se prodati ih ne razmišljajući uvijek hoće li povrijediti prava potrošača. Zaštita potrošača je praksa zaštite kupaca roba i usluga koji se zbog manjka opreznosti i poznavanja svojih prava susreću sa nepoštenim poslovnim praksama na tržištu. Da se potrošačka prava ne bi kršila i da bi potrošači bili sigurni na tržištu njihova prava se utvrđuju zakonima. U Republici Hrvatskoj potrošačka prava se utvrđuju Zakonom o zaštiti i pravima potrošača, a zakon je usklađen s direktivom Europske Unije. Za zaštitu potrošača osim nadležnih tijela zadužene su i udruge. Udruge predstavljaju nevladino, neprofitno tijelo koje se temelji na članstvu a promiče interese krajnjih potrošača i lobira za zakone koji štite potrošače na tržištu. Udruge za zaštitu potrošača osnivaju potrošači radi zaštite svojih interesa i prava, rade neovisno o interesima trgovaca i ne smiju od njih dobivati sredstva, informiraju potrošače i pružaju im zaštitu. Tema diplomskog rada Zaštita i prava potrošača je izabrana zato što je svaki čovjek u svim trenutcima u životu ujedno i potrošač, i trebao bi biti dovoljno informiran o svojim mogućnostima, odnosno pravima koja se krše svakodnevno zbog nedovoljnog obrazovanja potrošača. Cilj teme je informirati, savjetovati i educirati potrošače o njihovim pravima kako se ona ne bi kršila i kako bi se što veći broj potrošača potaknuo na promišljanje i donošenje ispravnih odluka koje će u budućnosti voditi prema ostvarivanju cilja o zaštiti općeg dobra. Svrha rada je približiti potrošačima ili krajnjim korisnicima na što oni imaju pravo, te kako i na koji način mogu ostvariti svoja prava.A consumer is an individual who uses the purchase of products and services exclusively for personal purposes. Retailers offer products and services and try to sell them without thinking whether they will violate consumer rights. Consumer protection is the practice of protecting buyers of goods and services who, due to a lack of caution and knowledge of their rights, encounter unfair business practices on the market. In order for consumer rights not to be violated and for consumers to be safe on the market, their rights are determined by law. In the Republic of Croatia, consumer rights are determined by the Consumer rights law who is harmonized with European Union directive. Apart from the competent authorities, associations are also in charge of consumer protection. Consumer associations are nongovernmental and non-profit legal entities based on membership, and promotes the interests of consumers and lobbies for laws that protect consumers in the market. Consumer protection associations are set up by consumers to protect their interests and rights, they are working independently on the interests of traders and are not allowed to receive funds from them, they are informing consumers and provide them with protection. Consumer protection and rights were chosen as the topic of this paper because every person is a consumer at all times in life, and should be informed about their possibilities, that means the rights that are violated on a daily basis due to insufficient consumer education. The aim of the topic is to inform, advise and educate consumers about their rights to not be violated and to encourage as many consumers as possible to think and make the right decisions that will lead in the future to achieving the goal of protecting the common good. The purpose of this paper is to bring consumers closer to what they are entitled to, and how and in what way they can achieve their rights