K-State family resource management specialist Elizabeth Kiss says U.S. consumers have several rights beyond what a company or store policy might be.

 

K-State expert urges consumers to know their rights

Consumers have options when a purchase fails to meet expectations, says Kiss

At a glance: K-State family resource management specialist Elizabeth Kiss says U.S. consumers should know their rights in order to respond appropriately when a product or service is undesirable.

More information: Elizabeth Kiss, 785-532-1946, dekiss4@ksu.edu

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Sept. 15, 2025

K-State Extension news service

MANHATTAN, Kan. – When a product fails to meet the buyer’s expectations, Kansas State University family resource management specialist Elizabeth Kiss says consumers in the United States have options beyond an angry phone call or email message.

“In our country, we do have consumer rights,” Kiss said. “And over time, there has been a consumer movement – it sort of waxes and wanes – but I’ve been on a bit of a mission to educate consumers about our rights because often we think that there’s nothing we can do,” when a product or service is undesirable.

“There are things we can do as individuals, and if we work as a group, we can do even more.”

Listen to an interview by Jeff Wichman with Elizabeth Kiss on the weekly radio program, Sound Living

Kiss listed several rights held by consumers in the United States:

• The right to basic needs. These are essential services, such as food, clothing, shelter, health care, education, public utilities, water and sanitation.
  
  
• The right to safety. Consumers should be protected against products, processes and services that might be hazardous to health or life.
  
  
• The right to be informed. Disclosures are there for a reason; take the time to read what you’re agreeing to when you buy a product or service.
  
  
• The right to opt-out. Consumers have a choice not to participate in a product or service. Social media and online services are a couple examples.
  
  
• The right to choose. Consumers often compare products based on price and quality before making a purchase.
  
  
• The right to redress. If we’re unhappy with a product or service, we have the right to ask for a refund or a satisfactory resolution.
  
  
• The right to consumer education. This relates to being able to acquire knowledge and skills to be an informed consumer throughout life.
  
  
• The right to a healthy environment. This helps to assure that we can live and work in an environment that is non-threatening to the wellbeing of present and future generations.

 

“These are guidelines for consumer rights,” Kiss said. “And these should be considered as going beyond what a company or store policy might be.”

Kiss added that many states provide additional protections for consumers, as well as federal laws and policies. On the national level, three organizations that are charged with aiding consumers are:

• The Federal Communications Commission, which protects consumers when they experience issues with phone, radio, Internet, television or emergency communications. The FCC can also aid in providing access for people with disabilities.
  
  
• Federal Trade Commission, which protects consumers from deceptive and unfair business practices related to shopping and donating; credit, loans and debt; and money-making. They can also protect consumers from unwanted calls, emails and texts; as well as identity theft and online security and scams.
  
  
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which focuses on banks, lenders and other financial institutions, and how they treat customers.

 

Kiss notes that these organizations and others are not intended to create an ‘us versus them’ mentality between businesses and consumers. Rather, she says, “we’re all in this market together, but if consumers don’t know their rights, then they may be infringed upon.”

A longer discussion with Kiss on consumer protection is available on the weekly radio program, Sound Living, produced by K-State Research and Extension.

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K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well‑being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county extension offices, experiment fields, area extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K‑State campus in Manhattan. For more information, visit www.ksre.ksu.edu. K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.