Answer:
Consumer exploitation refers to taking undue advantage of consumers or a group of consumers by the sellers for their own benefit or purpose. Since consumers are large in numbers and are segregated they often find themselves in a weak position especially when there is a complaint regarding a good or a service. Sellers never accept the responsibility of selling bad quality goods or any other misappropriation. This is the basis of consumer exploitation. There are various forms through which consumers are being exploited. Some of them are underweighing of goods, poor quality goods, duplicate articles, high prices, artificial scarcity, adulteration and impurity, false claims, lack of safety devices, poor after sale services, rude behaviour and undue conditions, non-fulfillment of the sales guarantees, misinformation regarding quality of the product and no timely supply of the goods. Some consumers especially of rural areas, who are illiterate and lack information, get exploited easily. The other reasons for consumer exploitation are ignorance, superstitions, social factors, shortage of goods and service, etc. Sellers indulge in unfair trade practices like black marketing, artificial high pricing, adulteration, hoarding, etc., to earn high profits. All these practices end up to consumer exploitation.