The Concerns of the Rich/Poor Consumer

Abstract

After two decades of the pursuit of consumer rights through regulation, a new agenda of consumer concerns is taking shape. This new agenda recognizes that the contemporary consumer is both rich and poor at the same time, and is confronted with new and complex problems involving both scarcity and abundance. The mutual interest of business and government—as well as consumer groups—in identifying and responding to consumer concerns should provide a basis for increasing use of participative and conciliatory, rather than adversary, policy processes.