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The government has formulated a conformity assessment scheme on IS 19000:2022, which is aimed at certifying the processes related to collection, moderation and publication of online customer reviews, to prevent publication of fake or misleading reviews, secretary in the Department of Consumer Affairs Rohit Kumar Singh said on Wednesday.

The scheme lays down the criteria and responsibilities of the organisation and ancillary requirements for grant and operation of certification requirements for processes related to collection, moderation and publication of online customer reviews, and charges relating to certification of said process.

This scheme will ensure authenticity and reliability of consumer reviews published online, and will help consumers make informed decisions.

This is a major step towards ensuring consumer protection and promoting fair trade practices in the e-commerce industry, Singh said.

The rapid growth of consumer reviews for a wide range of products like clothes, electrical appliances, toys, cars, etc and also services like restaurants, hotels, travel and logistics, real estate and lawyers, etc., have the potential to empower consumers and drive industry growth, by creating a more transparent and dynamic way to exchange information, he added further.