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In Protecting Consumer Rights!
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Archive_news minimizing losses caused by airline failuresYear 2012 began with the failure of two airlines: Spanair, and Malev. As a result of their collapse, tens of thousands of passengers were left without ights and many of them were also left without their money. the Council has assembled some guidelines to help minimize the losses to the traveling public, should an airline cease operations.  The Consumer Council calls for elimination of the “Charge-Credit” system in the cell phone marketCell phone companies offer "charge-credit payment plans", which tie the consumer into long term contracts with them. The Consumer Council proposes an amendment to the law, to ensure that prices quoted for cellular phones and similar items are final, and not dependent on the level of use of the company’s services.  Cost of Living / Ehud PelegMany within the business world, would prefer to see the influence of last summer’s protests dissipate. This is perhaps the best proof of their success and vitality. It offers a lesson to all those who have belittled them and doubted their power - that without consumers there can be no producers.  The Council’s position: –" Indication of Prices on an Electronic Display"The Knesset approved a proposed amendment to the Consumer Protection Law. Under the proposal, stores with a floor area greater than 100 square, would be allowed to display product prices by means of electronic display units on their shelves, rather than by means of price tags or labels on the products themselves  Playing Hide and Seek / Ehud Peleg70% of respondents to a survey, conducted for the Consumer Council, were unable to determine in which of two banks it would be better to maintain a checking account.The theory of intelligent consumerism advocates obtaining information, comparing alternatives, bargaining over price, and making intelligent choices.  Kadima MK proposes to help olim (new immigrants) in small claimsMinisterial C'tee set to debate new bill that allows volunteers to help new immigrants, poorer citizens.  Want to Protect your Money? Avoid Mindset Errors / Dr. Tal RotmanWhy do certain consumers agree to purchase a garment that isn’t the right size, only because it’s on sale, while other go thirsty throughout a concert, simply because they refuse to pay an exorbitant price for a bottle of soda? The answer lies in the human brain. Introducing mental accounting – but remember, it often defies logic.  four questions for the modern slave / E. AvrielThe people of Israel sang in unison on Friday night, tunefully or otherwise, We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt and the Lord freed us from Egypt with a ighty hand." Some find the words sung over thousands of years moving. Some just go through the motions, finding the celebration of our emancipation rather embarrassing after all that time.  The Israel Consumer Council, in a sharp critique of a statement by the Governor of the Bank of Israel:Consumer Council CEO: How can one claim that the abolition of checking account fees, which are less than two percent of the banks’ revenues, would endanger the stability of the banks  Mathematics quiz for consumersWhen it comes to products sold in packages containing a number of units, the consumer has no way of making comparisons. The Council suggests an amendment to the regulations  The Illusion of the Free Market / Ehud PelegThe Trachtenberg Committee has issued its recommendations, which are meant to provide a response to the issue of the cost of living. In its conclusions, it was supposed to address the argument made by certain economists and business people, that the government should not intervene in the free market.  The ICC to assist Consumers through the Small Claims CourtThe Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor, Shalom Simhon, allocated special funding to the ICC, for a project to enhance civil enforcement in the area of consumer rights.  Bank Charges – The Fight goes up a NotchMembers of the Knesset have submitted a new bill, in cooperation with the ICC, to abolish the double payments collected on bank current (checking) accounts  A Survival Guide for the confused Supermarket ShopperThe combination of products, aroma ,background music,of your supermarket is not coincidental. it aimed to get you to waste as much money as possible  Consumer Boycotts – Civil Right or Anarchy?Is a consumer boycott a revolt against the principles of democracy, or is it actually an legitimate expression of the consumer’s power within a democratic framework? People who are entitled to reduced rates from the IEC don’t receive themCEO of the ICC: The public interest demands that these needy individuals be taken care of ,through a class action suit  Activities for World Consumer Rights Day 2011To mark World Consumer Rights Day, the Israel consumers Council has performed a number of informational, educational and legislative activities...  About 50% of Consumers Don’t Read food LabelsThe Israel Consumer Council and the Association for Public Health Services launched a new guide assisting consumers to understand food labels  Errors in Price Markings at a Major Supermarket ChainDozens of errors in price marking were discovered on the shelves at branches of Rami Levy, one of the largest retail food chains in Israel  Only 14% of Consumers understand their Health InsuranceTo mark the addition of a Guide to Israeli Health Insurance to its website, the Israel Consumer Council and conducted a survey  Collaboration between MK Carmel Shama - Hacohen and the Consumer CouncilHave drawn up a bill calling for consumer protection to be added to the goals of the Bank of Israel  Where do they teach social justice?/ Ehud Peleg“The People Demand Social Justice” has become the rallying cry for public protests currently taking place in Israel...
 The Council struggles to reduce the price of a single text messageThe ICC is currently waging a campaign against unreasonable profit margins within the Israeli economy  The Nutrition Fiasco in the Education SystemThe Knesset’s Education Committee decided to adopt a the Council proposal, and make schools and local authorities monitor the food sold within schools.  The Council calls for dairy products to again be placed under price controlin light of recent increases in the price of food products. Also calls for the cancellation of VAT on price-controlled dairy products.  Textbook Search Engine being added to the Ministry of Education WebsiteThe Israel Consumer Council, at a meeting of the Knesset’s Education Committee, suggested to add the search engine.  The municipalities and water companies should prevent misuse of waterThe Council has received inquiries from consumers who have been charged by the water companies for water that was stolen  The Council supports consumer access to taped conversations recordingCompanies keep recordings of calls made to their telephone call centers, and use it to document transactions.  The Council calls for an immediate reduction in the price of gasolineThe recent increase in the price of gasoline has increased the State’s income from fuel taxes beyond expected levels...  A competition to find “The Biggest Billing Error”According to a survey, about half of consumers check their bills. the errors found - one billion Israeli Shekels each year.  The Council calls on consumers to boycott cellular companiesThe Consumer Council is calling on consumers to stop using mobile phones when at home or in the office  New regulations, granting a cash refund on productsBy the power of new regulations, consumersare now able to revoke transactions to purchase a wide array of products and services  Comprehensive changes to consumer warning signs in Duty Free storesThe Israeli Consumer Council receives countless complaints each year regarding the Duty Free stores in Ben Gurion Airport .  The manner in which hotel room prices are advertised does not meet consumer law57% of consumers do not understand hotel room price advertisements  Most consumers do not watch most of the channels available to themThe basic viewing package in Israel includes 49 channels ("Yes" satellite services) or 62 channels ("HOT" cable communications...)  The Israeli Consumer Council : Supervision on dairy products must be returnedThe Consumer Council calls on ...  For the first time: A consumer rights guide in ArabicFor the first time: A consumer rights guide in Arabic. For the first time: A consumer rights guide in Arabic.For the first time...  The Change that We Need / Adv. Ehud PelegThe various committees that were set up following last summer’s protests, have unfortunately demonstrated that the governmental bodies responsible for protecting the public when it comes to the cost of living, have not bothered to determine whether there was any problem, while conducting themselves as though it weren’t important anyway.  “The Government should also show determination in implementing steps for the benefit of consumers”CEO of the ICC, said in response to the economic measures decided upon by the Government, that the Government could ease the economic burden of its austerity measures, if it were to immediately carry out complementary consumer measures.
.  Consumer Council CEO: “The limit on characters in cellular text messages should be removed.”A survey conducted by the ICC shows that 70% of consumers are not aware that a text message (SMS) that exceeds 70 characters is charged for twice. The total sum from this double charging brings 140 million NIS into the coffers of the cell phone companies.  The ICC prevented approval of a compromise agreement that disadvantages consumers.The ICC represented by the Clinic for Class Action Suits at the Interdisciplinary Center*, objected to approval of the compromise arrangement, arguing that the agreement does not provide suitable compensation to HOT** customers who were allegedly harmed by the company’s conduct.  Consumer Council: The Kedmi Committee Report has to include Short Term SolutionsThe Council warned the Committee examining the cost of living in the food market that its recommendations would only lead to solutions in the long term, and recommended that the report also include solutions that would meet the "next meal test  The Consumer Council is helping consumers cancel purchases of lottery subscriptionsEvery year, the Israel Consumer Council receives dozens of complaints against private companies selling subscriptions for group participation in lotteries run by "Mifal Hapayis" and "the Council for Regulations of Sports Betting in Israel".  Dozens of complaints regarding the supply of refrigerators and the lack of forms that have prevented Israelis from receiving their refrigeratorsConsumer Council CEO: “The harm to consumers taking part in the program needs to be minimized.” | About Us The Israel Consumer Council is the largest consumer organization in Israel. It is a statutory, non-profit corporation which works to defend consumers and protect their rights, by handling complaints, seeking solutions to wrongs done to consumers, and through education, enforcement and deterrence, and promotion of consumer rights. | |||||||||||
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