Pupils should gain a basic understanding of

• what is meant by the term 'Consumer'
  
  
• the basic rights and responsibilities that a Consumer has
  
  
• why it is important to have rules in life and who makes the rules about buying and selling
  
  
• who is responsible for ensuring that these rules are followed and what can happen if these rules are not followed

Begin the lesson by talking to the students about buying things. Ask your students what type of things they would like to own and why.

Look at the words 'buyer' and 'seller'. Ask the students for other words that we can use. Try to elicit the word 'consumer'.

Explain to the students that being a good consumer means you have both rights and responsibilities. Consider some of the most important rights and ask your students to explain why they think each is important:

• Right to Choose
• Right to Accurate Information
• Right to Safety
• Right to Value for Money
• Right to Redress

Ask the students to think about how we can make sure that consumer rights and responsibilities are met and try to elicit the word 'rules'. Discuss with the students:

• why it is important to have rules
• who makes rules
• who makes sure the rules are followed
• what happens if the rules are broken

Introduce the word 'law' into the discussion. Is there a difference between the rules that have been discussed and the law? Look at the history of Consumer Protection Law and discuss with the students the role of Trading Standards Departments.