#Self-Employment

A contractor buying steel pipes for a small construction job is deemed a consumer because the purchase was for self-employment, not a commercial enterprise. This broadens the CPA, 1986 definition of ‘consumer’ to include self-employed traders, extending statutory protection to them.

Delhi State Consumer Commission rules that machinery purchases for self-employment livelihood do not constitute 'commercial purpose' under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. The ruling clarifies that small-scale entrepreneurs are protected as consumers, ensuring access to consumer forums for disputes.