Standardization is important in terms of consumer protection and rights

Cyprus International University (CIU) Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences Dean Prof. Dr. Mehmet Yeşiltaş, speaking within the scope of 14th October World Standards Day, stated that with the industrial revolution, the transfer to mechanization and mass production pushed the necessity for standardization to the forefront.

Explaining that today, the importance of standardization increasingly continues, Yeşiltaş stated that the United Nations Universal Declaration of Consumer Rights emphasizes the fundamental and universal rights of consumers.

Prof. Dr. Yeşiltaş advised that consumers being able to use their rights properly is subject to the establishment of national and international standards of the rights in question, and added that standardization is not only important for consumers but also important for the manufacturers.

Stating that when evaluated from the perspective of the consumer, international standards will help in the safe receipt of goods and services, whether within the same country as the consumer or from other countries, Yeşiltaş went on to say, “The presence of national or international standards will enable the consumer to correctly compare the goods or services they will be purchasing, giving them the opportunity to purchase the most appropriate one, from their perspective”.

Dean Yeşiltaş explained that any goods or services with no standards are difficult to compare or to evaluate, and continued, “When we look at the subject from the perspective of the manufacturer when manufacturers produce goods or services with standards, it is easier for them to follow and protect the quality of their produce. The manufacturers will also be able to obtain good quality goods and services”.

Reminding that the existence of international standards contributes to the manufacturers, the consumers, and the economy of that country, Yeşiltaş concluded, “If we want ourselves and our children to live in a beautiful and healthy world, international standards should be accepted in all the countries, with checks made as to whether they are being applied or not”.