Who is the Consumer?

A 'consumer' might be generally understood as a purchaser of goods and services for the personal satisfaction of themselves or other members of their households, as distinct from use to generate further income.

It follows that the main characteristics of consumer protection statutes are that the supplier acts in the course of a trade or business, the recipient is a private individual or entity that acts in a private or not-for-profit capacity. However, it is important not to limit the term 'consumer' to only contracting parties, as that might exclude the end user of goods and services.

It is important to note that there is no universally agreed definition of the term 'consumer'. Different laws of different countries might define the term differently depending on their varying purposes, contexts and needs.