China Consumers Association Releases Top 10 Consumer Rights Protection Issues in 2021

On Monday, the China Consumers Association and People.cn’s public opinion data center jointly issued a report on the top ten issues facing consumer rights protection in 2021 based on big data and social influence.

Of the issues surveyed, those brought to the fore included car owners standing on the roof of EVs at an auto show; private tutoring institutions failing to refund fees amid a bankruptcy crisis; multinational enterprises refusing to use products made in Xinjiang; the issue of excessive consumption of minors and food safety incidents in catering brands.

Other trending topics the association mentioned include the leakage of consumers’ personal information, over-marketing on social media, mystery toy boxes containing live animals, cancellation of advanced on-demand service of video platforms, and differing refund policies for luxury brands at home and aboard.

Looking back at 2021, consumer rights protection presents the following characteristics: First, consumer rights protection awareness continues to improve; Second, the long-standing problems in individual industries have caused damage to consumers’ rights and interests, which has repeatedly caused public disputes; Third, some brands have ignored consumers’ demands, which has often lead to an escalation of disputes.

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Many of the incidents mentioned show that the protection of consumer rights and interests still faces great challenge. Looking to 2022, driven by new trends such as traditional Chinese products, immersive entertainment, and a healthy lifestyle, the protection of consumers’ rights and interests related to these fields will remain the focus of public concern. In addition, markets aimed at the elderly,  underage consumer groups, and rural markets will receive special attention.