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Core
Module
11

Sensible Consumption
Foundation part: Rights and
Responsibilities of Sensible Consumer
There are various attractive products available for
purchase nowadays. What are the considerations
when we are choosing?

As a consumer, what are our responsibilities apart
from paying for the goods?

Do we have the rights to complain if we are
unfairly treated when we shop? Who can protect
our rights?
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Lead-in activity: Students to understand the reasons behind their daily
consumption through reflecting on their daily consumption behaviors.
Activity 1: Why do You Go Shopping?
Do you know how many consumption activities do we have every day? Today’s breakfast, the snacks
and the stationeries we bought etc., all of these are our daily consumption. What are the factors that
affect our consumption decision?
1.
Let’s think of the reasons that drive you to go shopping?
To meet our real needs
2.
To perform the act of
shopping
To buy presents for
friend’s birthday, etc.
What are the considerations when you are choosing goods?
For example,
Price
The factors can be classified as price factors and non-price factors. Considering the non-price
factors, the principles and responsibilities in choosing goods or services can be brought out.
As a consumer, what are our responsibilities? What principles should
we follow when we shop?
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1. Principles of choosing goods or services
We should consider from personal and social perspective when choosing goods or services. At
personal level, we should consider if the consumption is really necessary. Will it be an excessive
consumption that may bring us an unnecessary burden? In addition, we should consider social
responsibilities. Consider the value of consumption from the perspective of environmental protection
and justice, and understand the impacts that consumption may bring to the society. We should be
cautious with our consumption, and think twice of its meaning and the value of goods so that we can
have responsible consumer behaviour.
2. Responsibilities of consumers
2.1 Individual responsibilities
Consumers should be responsible for their consuming behaviour, avoiding excessive consumption
which may leads to waste. Before consumption, we should understand our needs, grasp the
information of the goods, and consume cautiously. We should also consider the consequences. For
example, can we afford it? Do we need to take out a loan due to the consumption? Are the goods
useful for us? After the consumption, we should check the goods carefully and keep the receipts,
instruction manuals, warranty cards etc. for any possible use and reflect on our consuming behaviour.
2.2 Social responsibilities
Consumers should understand the social impacts of consumption in order to reduce unnecessary
social cost arisen from individual consumption. For example, consumers should have the vision of
sustainable development, such as bringing their own bags, choosing less packaging goods, and
adopting green consumption (5R: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Re-evaluate, Rescue)
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Reduce
Reduce unnecessary
consumption. Avoid
buying unnecessary or
excessive goods.
Rescue
Protect endangered species,
Choose reusable designs,
refuse buying relevant
reduce using disposable
Green
Consumption
5R
products.
Reuse
products.
Re-evaluate
Recycle
Choose products that are natural
Choose products that can be
or made from recycled
recycled.
materials.
What is the importance of green consumption? Why should we adopt
green consumption?
Consumers should review whether their consumption behaviour is fair and just, understand the
impacts that consumption may bring to different regions of the world in terms of human rights and
culture. For example, we should look for ethical production process as well as safe and proper
working conditions. We should avoid buying goods that are produced by unethical firms in which the
workers are not fairly treated. All these considerations help consumers to take up their social
responsibilities and to establish a fairer and just consumption mode and environment.
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Activity 2: Shopping “Dos and Don’ts”
As the “Smartest Eyes”, can you summarise some principles of choosing goods and share with your
classmates? Try to fill in the “Dos and Don’ts” in the following table.
Shopping “Dos”
 Consider the practical use of the goods.
Shopping “Don’ts”
 Excessively focus on brands or fashion
trends.
 Focus on environmental protection, such as  Buy fake or pirated products.
choosing refillable pens.
 List out the necessary products before  Have blind faith in authority or statistics
shopping to avoid impulse purchase.
 Clearly
understand
the
functions,  Spokesperson effect
performance and usage of the products
before purchasing.
 Contact the Consumer Council before  Have the mindset of “owning what others
purchasing if you have doubts about the
own”, and blindly follow the trend.
products’ quality, functions or performance.
Learning Point: Go deeper into and summarise the considerations in consumption.
Understand other factors that affect purchasing desire and sales tactics.
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This
Extended Activity 1: Am I a smart consumer?
Our school has participated in a competition called “Smartest Eyes”. Its aim
is to help students understand the marketing practices of different products
activity aims to let
students understand
some
advertising
sales tactics through
role play.
through a series of workshops, and promote the message of “smart
consumer”. You have decided to team up with some other classmates to join
the competition. Are you ready for the challenge of becoming the “Smartest
Eyes” of the new generation?
Role Play
Each team draws a role card. Try to arrange a 15-second advertisement to
introduce the following products to your classmates:
Role Card 1
(1) Sales Product: Sunscreen Cream
(2) Selling Points: A. Recommended by dermatologists.
B. No harm to skin after use even exposed under the sun for 10 days.
Role Card 2
(1) Sales Product: “NXS” Game Console
(2) Selling Points: A. Nearly 10 million game consoles have been sold globally.
Top selling products.
B. Leading the trend, topics of conversation between friends.
Role Card 3
(1) Sales Product: “100 Marks” Supplementary workbook
(2) Selling Points: A. Experiments confirmed that IQ will rise by 5 points
immediately
after
finishing
the
whole
supplementary workbook.
B. Over 80% students from elite schools are using it.
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extended
Role Card 4
(1) Sales Product: “BMW” Bicycle
(2) Selling Points: A. Pop star spokesperson: MC JIN
B. Focus on the lightweight of the bicycle and its speed.
(fact to hide：it is accident-prone due to its lightweight)
Role Card 5
(1) Sales Product: “Dong L” Shampoo
(2) Selling Points: A. Quote the record of “Shennong Ben Cao Jing” and “Bencao
Gangmu”, and explain the effectiveness of the shampoo.
B. 5 men who have hair loss problem were invited to try the
shampoo, and nearly 60% of them said that it can improve
their problem.
Analyse the above techniques used that enhance the persuasiveness of the advertisements. In addition,
do you believe in the features claimed?
Products
Techniques used to enhance persuasiveness
Do you believe? Why?
of the advertisements
Sunscreen Cream
 Recommended by dermatologists
Any appropriate answers
 Experimental results
 Exaggerated
“NXS” Game
 Peer influence
Console
 The degree of acceptance of the public for
Any appropriate answers
the product
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“100 Marks”
 Experimental results
Supplementary
 Show the product’s effectiveness via survey
workbook
“BMW” Bicycle
Any appropriate answers
and statistic results.
 inviting pop star to be spokesperson, fame Any appropriate answers
of the pop star
 Concealing
“Dong L” Shampoo
 Show the product’s effectiveness via survey Although survey data are
and statistic results.
quoted, the number of
 Quote the records of “Shennong Ben Cao respondents is small, thus
Jing” and “Bencao Gangmu”
the
data
are
not
convincing. They may not
be representative of most
of the consumers.
Teaching Process Recommendations
Teacher can simplify this activity. Divide the class into ten groups, and four students each group.
Every two groups work on the same product. Each group only needs to focus on discussing the sales
tactics of one of the products. For example,
Students holding role card 1 is responsible for discussing how to interpret the product of role card 2;
Students holding role card 2 is responsible for discussing how to interpret the product of role card 3;
and so on and so forth.
In this way, students can focus on discussing different products. The contents of discussion will be
richer and in-deep. After all, teacher can invite different groups to share their opinions to the class.
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: Unveiling the shopping traps
Every day when you read newspaper, magazines or watch television, you may notice that there are
various marketing tactics. What techniques do they actually use to attract you to buy those products?
Please read the following deconstruction of the marketing tactics.
Spokesperson Effect Attract the public to buy the product through spokesperson, but not through
rational analysis and survey of consumers.
Appeal to Authority
Use the opinions of expects or persons of authority of the industry as grounds.
Apart from experts, one may also quote the ancient books and records of the
industry. For example, dermatologists recommend sunscreen products;
quoting the records of “Shennong Ben Cao Jing” and “Bencao Gangmu” to
introduce shampoo with Chinese medicine extract.
Herd Instinct
Consumers are usually affected by the majority and their thought or behaviour
follow the herd without having their own thought. This may be treated as a
mindset of “owning what others own”. One would like to buy a product when
the majority owns it.
Exaggeration
The product itself does not have the usage or functions mentioned in the
advertisement. The aim of exaggerating its effectiveness is for impressing the
consumers.
Biased
The bias of experimental staff affects the experiment results. Or only select to
Experimental
disclose statistics data that are beneficial for promoting the product, but
Results
conceal the unfavourable information.
Besides, experimental results may also be affected by the data collected. For
example, the survey result is not representative if it only invites a few people
to participate in the survey; or select certain groups of respondents
deliberately to control the survey results.
Conceal the Facts
Hiding the unfavourable facts when promoting the product without showing
the consumers the whole picture.
Information edited from: Feldman, Robert S. (2008) Understanding Psychology (8th Ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill
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Extended Activity 2: Deconstruct the marketing tactics
There are various marketing tactics nowadays. Apart from the techniques mentioned in Extended
Reading, please read the recent newspapers or magazines and clip a piece of advertisement/ news
that is related to marketing tactics. Briefly introduce it in at least 150 words. The contents may
include:
1.
Which product is this marketing tactics related to?
2.
What method does the advertisement/news adopt to attract consumers to buy the product?
3.
Do you think that can achieve promotional effect?
4.
Do you think that is an appropriate marketing practice?
Paste your news here
Source:
Name of newspaper/magazine:
Date:
Title:
Briefly introduce this marketing tactic and share your own perception of it in at least 150 words. Do
you agree with this practice?
Any appropriate answers.
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3. Consumer Rights
3.1 How can individuals protect their rights
According to the “Guide to Consumer Rights and Responsibilities” formulated by the Consumer
Council, consumers enjoy eight basic rights when they consume, which include:
1)
the right to satisfaction of basic needs;
2)
the right to safety;
3)
the right to be informed;
4)
the right to choose;
5)
the right to be heard;
6)
the right to redress;
7)
the right to consumer education; and
8)
the right to a healthy and sustainable environment.
Therefore, we should understand our rights when we shop, so that we can be satisfied in the
consumption. For example, consumers should be able to gain the right information of different
products so that they can evaluate and choose the product, and claim for a reasonable compensation
when there are any problems.
3.2 How does the society protect consumer rights
The Consumer Council was officially established as a corporate body in 1977 to protect and promote
consumer rights. The Consumer Council collects the market information of consumer goods
regularly to ensure products’ quality and safety. In addition, the Council promotes consumer
information in order to enhance consumers’ self-protection ability. If consumers encounter any unfair
transaction, they can report the case to the Consumer Council or put forward a claim to the Small
Claims Tribunal.
There are different laws and regulations to protect consumers against different transaction problems,
such as consumer contract, product safety, health, business practices etc. The laws stated the
appropriate behaviours of carrying out transaction and the punishments for any behaviours which are
against the related laws. Therefore, consumers are protected by the laws and related organizations.
(Reference website: http://www.consumer.org.hk/website/ws_chi/legal_protection/hk_consumer_protection_legislations/
Index.html)
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Activity 3: Who Can Protect My Rights?
When I was travelling in Switzerland and Israel, I
subscribed for a daily-rated service plan for the data
roaming service at a local telecom company, which
costs $120 per day. I had received a confirmation
message from the company, but later on, they
informed me that the two places stated above were not
included in the plan and asked me to pay $16,000 for
the data roaming service. This is totally unacceptable.
1.
I always receive SMSs about
downloading games. Although
I didn’t download any games,
I found that I was charged
$2000 for the SMSs.
What is the issue concerning the above protesters?
Telecom companies overcharge data users and relentlessly send out charged spam SMS.
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2.
Have you ever come across the above situation? What are the complaint channels if Hong Kong
people encounter the above problems?
Any appropriate answers. Complaint channels include the Consumer Council; if the case
involves criminal behaviour (such as fraud), one can report to the police.
3.
Why would consumers fall into the above consumption traps?

The terms of the contract/service/information of the telecom company are unclear.

Consumers make the decision quickly before they fully understand the terms in the
contract. It leads to a wrong decision.
Teaching suggestion: Teachers should tell students that the above
consumption traps are not only caused by the dishonest behaviour of the
manufacturer, consumers should also have their share of responsibilities.
How can consumers avoid falling into consumption traps? Try to
consider it from the point of view of the Consumer Council and
individuals.
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Extended Exercise (3): Online shopping
Smart phones have become more and more popular nowadays, there has been a tendency of online
shopping. According to the 2011 statistics by Paypal, the spending on online consumption around the
world was more than HK$30 billion. Although online shopping has been acclaimed for the low price
of the products and its convenience, and has attracted more and more people, complaints about it
have largely increased. According to the analysis of the Police, the most common traps that used by
the fraudsters in online shopping or auction platform are that they claim they are selling some goods
and ask the victims to provide e-mail address and phone number etc. so as to trade outside the
platform. Once the victims have followed the instructions and deposited the money into the
fraudsters’ bank accounts, the fraudsters will then escape.
Chairperson of the Consumer Council, stated that as some of the websites are not established in
Hong Kong, consumers might not enjoy the local legal protection if there are any problems. In
addition, some websites are not be responsible for the transactions carried out within them. Therefore,
during online shopping, consumers have to identify the sellers and choose the platforms which are
reliable and of high reputation, and avoid trading privately. To increase the safety of the transaction,
consumers can use third party payment service. In addition, consumers should pay attention to the
protection of their personal information, and never disclose any personal accounts number and
passwords etc to strangers. Online consumers must stay alert to avoid being cheated.
Source: Local news reports
Read the above news report and answer the following questions.
1.
What are the advantages of online shopping for the consumers?
The price is cheap and it is convenient.
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2.
Although online shopping becomes more common nowadays, the complaints related to online
shopping have also risen. According to the Police, what are the tricks that the fraudsters use?
The fraudsters use fake identity, fake e-mail address and phone number for the transaction. They
even claim that they have goods for sale in order to cheat the customers.
3.
How can we avoid being cheated? Please refer to the tips of the Consumer Council and based on
your knowledge, write down five prevention tips.
Choose reliable and reputable trading platform. May use third-party payment
service to pay and make sure personal data do not leak out.
Fraud Prevention Tips: Any appropriate answers.
4.
As consumers do not have to make immediate payment for online shopping, they may not
consider seriously before making the transaction. Sometimes, after satisfying their desire for
shopping, most of them may find that the products are not fit for use, which finally causes
wastes. Facing the above scenario, can you suggest some ways to encourage people to think
twice before online shopping and to reduce consumption?
Any appropriate answers.
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A.
Websites
輕鬆理財「富」學士
http://csrp.hku.hk/rich/index.htm
Guidelines on Consumer Rights and Responsibilities
http://www.consumer.org.hk/website/ws_chi/competition_issues/Consumer_Rights_Responsibilities/
2004100401.pdf
全港中小學生對金錢的看法問卷調查報告, RTHK ETV Division, 31 August 2000
http://www.cityu.edu.hk/prj/YSNet/doc/chinese/sk.pdf
T.W.G.Hs Hs Healthy Budgeting Family Debt Counselling Centre
http://fdcc.tungwahcsd.org/cat8.html
B.
Books
Feldman, Robert S. (2008) Understanding Psychology (8th Ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Feldman, R.S. (2009). Essentials of Understanding Psychology. (8th ed.) NY: McGraw-Hill.
李兆波(2008)《聰明借來創富錢》。香港：大窗出版。
裘琳‧賈德菲著，周宜芳譯(2005)《我家小孩會理財：5-18 歲財務學習地圖》，天下遠見出版
股份有限公司。
梁志援 (2006) 《和孩子一起學習金錢管理》，台北，台灣：稻田出版社。
香港小童群益會著(2006)《理財小故事‧大道理》，香港：靈蘭閣圖書國際公司。
T.W.G.Hs Hs Healthy Budgeting Family Debt Counselling Centre (2007), “The 6 Basic Principles To
Accumulate Wealth”, Sponsored by Citigroup Inc.
Please visit this website to refer to the original text:
http://www.citibank.com.hk/global_docs/financial_edu_home_tc/pdf/ctb_book_c_200706.pdf
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Concept Map of Sensible
Consumption
Responsibilities
of Consumers
Personal
Responsibilities
Social
Responsibilities
Responsible
Consumption:
Principle of Choosing
Goods or Services
Consumer
How Do We Protect Our Rights
Rights of
Consumers
How Does the Society Protect Consumer
Rights: Laws and Organizations that Protect
Consumer Rights
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