The Spanish Association for Standardization, UNE, and the Federation of Consumers and Users (CECU), have today released an informative brochure to help consumers choose products and services that comply with technical standards that guarantee their safety. These standards are present items we use every day, and yet they are unknown by a large part of the public. The aim of this publication is to provide consumers and users with the information they need to make considered and responsible purchases, and to make the right choice.
Under the slogan "Un día normal" (a normal day), the brochure depicts a consumer's everyday life while using basic products and services. Specifically, it explains what standardisation is, what it is for, who develops it, how it affects our day-to-day and how to interpret the code of a standard. It also includes details of the standards to be met by some of the different types of objects that we use 24 hours a day. The brochure is available through this link.
The launch of this publication is part of the agreement signed by UNE and CECU in July last year, which aims to raise awareness in society of the importance of compliance with standards to generate shared progress and a safer and more sustainable world.
The managing director of UNE and vice-president of ISO, Javier García, underlined that "standardisation provides safety and protection to consumers and avoids risks by encouraging all products to be manufactured in accordance with standards that establish health, quality, accessibility and compatibility requirements, among others".
In addition, the director of CECU, David Sánchez, affirmed that "educating consumers about the standards that consumer products must meet is essential to make the act of purchasing safer, more responsible and sustainable. Encouraging the habit of reading a product label before buying and learning about the scope of UNE standards protecting the health and safety of consumers are two priority objectives for CECU this year".
