Barbados National Standards Institution

In addition to the views of experts from industry, business and government, the importance of the “user” perspectives in the production of market-driven standards is now recognised regardless of a country’s level of development.  Basic consumer concerns include such aspects as safety, performance, informed choice access and redress.

The participation of consumer representatives in the development of standards benefits industry and business because the consumer viewpoint is integrated in the standards used to manufacture products and to provide services.  It benefits society as a whole because participation in the process results in consumers that are better informed.

Consumers can contribute in many ways:

• by providing data on safety aspects and ensuring that safety is properly addressed
• by giving examples of how products and services are actually used (or misused) in practice
• by checking that the performance requirements and test methods reflect the way products and services are actually used

Consumers lend their unique perspective to the creation of the voluntary standards that govern the manufacture of many of the products and the structure of services used in everyday life.