Consumentenbond
Consumentenbond (CB) is a Dutch non-profit organization which promotes consumer protection.
History
Consumentenbond was established in 1953.[1] As of 1997 it had 650,000 members and represented one out of nine Dutch families, which made it the consumer organization with the highest level of penetration in any nation.[1] Just as other on membership based organisations, the amount of members has declined significantly since the beginning of this century. For the last five years the membership count stabilized on or around 480.000 members. The name of the Consumentenbond is sometimes shortened as "CB".
In 1960 Consumentenbond was one of the five founders of what is now called Consumers International. Until 1993 the headquarters of the organization was hosted in The Hague. Consumentenbond has, with Consumers International, emphasized the need to assist consumers in developing countries.[1]
In 1962 Consumentenbond participated in the foundation of the European Consumers' Bureau (BEUC).[1]
In 1970 Consumentenbond along with representatives of commercial industries established the Foundation for Resolution of Disputes (SGC), which was an organization which had the mission to address consumer complaints for member companies in those industries.[1] Whenever a consumer had a complaint the complaint would be heard by a panel consisting of a chairman with legal expertise, a representative of the industry, and a representative selected by Consumentenbond.[1]
In 1974 Consumentenbond and Konsumenten Kontakt (an other Dutch consumerorganisation) used government funding to establish the Foundation for Scientific Research on Consumer Affairs (SWOKA) to guide government policy.