The role of consumers in the public policy process

This paper describes the current role of consumers in the development of public policy and supports the need for more consumer inputs in the public policy process. The concept of balance among various interacting publics is viewed as a framework for understanding public policy formation and improving the representation of the consuming public in this process. In a pluralistic political system, relevant publics should be heard. Government should restructure itself to obtain more consumer inputs and marketing public policy decisions should be based on social, technological, as well as market structure considerations.