Tracking Progress

Three years have passed since the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection were expanded in 1999 to include new elements on Sustainable Consumption (Section G). They represent a framework for governments to use in formulating and strengthening consumer protection policies and legislation. The Guidelines encompass such issues as providing information, conducting consumer research, testing products, promoting recycling and sustainable government practices, encouraging life cycle thinking and ecoproducts, and strengthening regulatory mechanisms and adopting economic measures.