CONSUMER PROTECTION REQUIRES MORE THAN TRUSTING IN THE MARKET PROCESS TO PRESERVE OR RESTORE COMPETITION. TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF ALL PARTIES CONCERNED, THE PROBLEM OF CONSUMER PROTECTION MUST BE EMBEDDED IN THE CONTEXT OF WELFARE ECONOMICS. THIS NECESSITY ARISES OUT OF OUR LEGAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEM WHICH IS BASED ON A MODEL OF THE CONSUMER THAT IS VAGUELY REPRESENTATIVE OF REALITY. WHILE OUR ECONOMIC SYSTEM IS PREDICATED ON THE NOTION THAT CONSUMERS ARE SOVEREIGN IN FULFULLING THEIR NEEDS, MODERN MARKETING TECHNIQUES HAVE RESULTED IN A SITUATION IN WHICH CONSUMERS ARE CONDITIONED TO BUY GOODS WHICH PRODUCERS WANT THEM TO PURCHASE. EFFORTS MUST BE UNDERTAKEN TO RESTORE THE IDEAL OF CONSUMER SOVEREIGNTY WITHOUT WHICH NEITHER OUR ECONOMIC OR DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS COULD SURVIVE. WHILE AN IDEAL FREE MARKET ECONOMY DOES NOT KEEP SELLERS FROM TAKING ACTIONS DETRIMENTAL TO CONSUMERS, SUCH FREEDOM HAS LED TO SELLERS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE IGNORANCE OF CONSUMERS, INTENTIONAL WITHHOLDING OF INFORMATION FROM CONSUMERS, INTENTIONAL DECEPTION, TAKING UNFAIR ADVANTAGE OF CONSUMERS, AND JEOPARDIZING BODILY INTEGRITY AS WELL AS THE PROPERTY OF CONSUMERS. FINALLY, IN OUR PRESENT ECONOMIC SYSTEM THERE IS NEITHER A NATURAL RECONCILIATION OF BUYERS AND SELLERS NOR IS THERE A CONSONANCE OF PERSONAL, GROUP, OR COMMUNITY INTERESTS. THEREFORE, EFFORTS MUST BE UNDERTAKEN TO RATE THE URGENCY OF THE VARIOUS SOCIETAL GROUP NEEDS SO THAT MECHANISMS CAN BE DEVELOPED TO PROTECT THESE NEEDS. SUCH AN EFFORT WILL ENSURE THE SURVIVAL OF OUR ECONOMIC SYSTEM. NO REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (KCP)