Consumers and Standards: Consumer Representation in Standards Setting

Consumers and Standards: Consumer Representation in Standards Setting

Dr Gottlobe Fabisch

1/01/2005
(Original Publish Date: 2003)

Standardisation is not a media-attracting topic. It is industry driven, often technical, patient work and very time consuming. Why should consumers care to participate? Would not industry look after the interests of consumers anyhow because companies' ultimate goal is to sell products and services? Many years of practical involvement in European standardisation, however, have shown that this argument falls short and that there is a genuine need for systematic involvement of consumer experts in the process.