The various Acts passed by the government for protection of consumer’s interest are as follow:

(i) Agricultural Products (Grading and Marketing) Act, 1937: This Act provides for grading and certifying quality standards of agricultural commodities which are allowed to be stamped with AGMARK seal of the Agricultural marketing department of the Government.

(ii) Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951: This Act provides for control over production and distribution of manufactured goods. According to this Act, the Central Government may order investigation of any industry, if it is of the opinion that there has been substantial fall in the volume of production, or a marked decline in the quality of a product, or any unreasonable rise in price. 

(iii) Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954: This Act provides for severe punishment for adulteration of food articles. In the case of sale of adulterated food which is injurious to health and likely to cause death, life imprisonment with a minimum fine of Rs 3000 may be payable.

(iv) Essential Commodities Act, 1955: Under this Act, the Government has power to declare any commodity as essential in the public interest. Thereby the Government can control the production, supply and distribution of the trading of such commodities.

(v) The Standards of Weights and Measures Act, 1956: This Act provides for the use of standard weights and standard measures of length throughout the country. ‘Metre’ has been specified as the primary unit for measuring length, and ‘kilogram’ as the primary unit for measuring weight.

(vi) Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1969: Under the provisions of this Act, as amended in 1983 and 1984, consumers and consumer groups can exercise their right of redressal by filing complaints relating to restrictive and unfair trade practices.

(vii) Prevention of Black-marketing and Maintenance of Essential Supplies Act, 1980: The primary objective of this act is to provide for detention of persons with a view to prevention of black-marketing and maintenance of supplies of commodities essential to the community.

(viii) Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986: The Bureau of Indian Standards has been set up under this Act, replacing the Indian Standards Institution (ISI), to protect and promote consumer interest. It has two major activities: formulation of quality standards for goods and their certification through the BIS certification marks scheme by which manufacturers are permitted to use the standardisation mark (ISI) on their products after due verification of conformity with prescribed quality standards of safety and performance.

(ix) Consumer Protection Act, 1986: This Act provides for consumer protection more comprehensively than any other law. Consumers can seek legal remedy for a wide range of unfair practices not only with respect to goods but also for deficiency in services like banking, insurance , financing, transport, telephone, supply of electricity or other energy, housing, boarding & lodging, entertainment, amusement, etc.