Assessing the Quality of Products
Class 7 Social Science · Chapter 12: Understanding Markets · NCERT Exploring Society: India and Beyond section 12.6
Learn
Before a marbles match, Ishaan, with ₹150 saved, checks marbles for size, strength, colour and price. Every consumer judges quality. On a 1 kg packet of gram flour, Meher finds the net quantity, dates of manufacture and best before, batch number, MRP, maker's name and address, nutrition facts, ingredients, allergen warning and the FSSAI mark, which means the food meets government safety standards.
Other marks help too: the ISI mark of the Bureau of Indian Standards on electrical appliances, cement, tyres and paper; AGMARK on farm products like pulses, spices and honey; and BEE star ratings on TVs, fridges and ACs, where more stars mean less electricity use, good for your bill and the planet. Reputation, word of mouth and online reviews also guide what we buy.
Explore: which mark should you look for?
- Sort each product.
Remember
- Labels show net quantity, dates, MRP, ingredients and certification marks.
- FSSAI (food), ISI (appliances and materials), AGMARK (farm produce) and BEE stars (energy) help judge quality.
Quick check
A fridge with more BEE stars …
- uses less electricity
- is noisier
- is older
- costs nothing
Answer
uses less electricity. Higher stars mean higher energy efficiency.
Think about it
You and your classmates make a soap bar. What should its label tell buyers?
One answer
Its name, maker's name and address, ingredients and any allergens, net weight, MRP, date of manufacture and best-before date, batch number, and how to use it safely.
Practice
Practise with fresh questions at three levels (easy, medium, hard), some answered hands-on, with hints and worked answers. Get 4 of your last 5 right to finish the topic.