Why involve consumers in standardization?

Consumer involvement proved crucial in many instances of standards development nationally and internationally.

Consumer inputs, interests or concerns when considered in standards development ensures that the standard is market driven/relevant – among others.

Consumers provide inputs on how a product is actually used or help identify potential abuse or misuse in the market before the issue leads to a full-fledged recall.

Consumers feedback and inputs can be used to determine:

  • Need for new standards
  • If compliance with existing standards need to be made mandatory
  • If a current standard need to revised

In other words they give an end users perspective of the standards being developed or used.