15 March

The consumer movement led by Consumers International marks 15 March every year as the World Consumer Rights Day.

2005 – The Consumers International celebrated the “World Consumer Rights Day” with the theme “No to GMOs”, and proclaimed 2005 the year against GMOs because the vast majority of world consumers said no to GMO.

CI with its member organizations dedicated this day to stop the spread of GMOs. CI demanded widely available conventional and organic crops that need to be protected from GM contamination, also the need to establish GMO-free zones. CI demanded labeling of GM products and compliance with international safety standards since GM foods are a potential risk to human health. Independent testing is needed.

Consumers have the right to information, the right to choose and the right to security. CI has warned that large corporations are taking control of the food chain, making false statements about solving the food supply problems and benefits of GM crops for farmers.

Consumers International is a global umbrella organization for consumer protection which protects and promotes the rights of consumers around the world by strengthening national associations. The goal of the organization is to build a strong consumer movement to protect the rights of consumers in the global market that is increasingly dominated by international companies. The organization was founded 1 April 1960, and currently has 250 members in 120 countries worldwide. The Croatian Association for Consumer Protection (Hrvatska udruga za zaštitu potrošača) is also a CI member.

Sources:
-World Consumer Right Day – Action and Resources (03/11/2005). Lobbywatch, www.lobbywatch.org
-Consumers International, consumersinternational.org
-Hrvatska udruga za zaštitu potrošača HUZP, poruka br. 15, rujan 2005. Što trebate znati o genetski modificiranim organizmima i hrani