Think of one example from your experience where you thought that there was some ‘cheating’ in the market. Discuss in the classroom.

One common form of cheating in the market is the adulteration of food products. This involves adding inferior or harmful substances to food items to increase quantity and reduce production costs. For instance, mixing water in milk, adding artificial colouring to spices, or using non-edible oils in place of pure ghee. This not only deceives consumers but also poses serious health risks.

Taking Adulteration in Milk as an example and discussing further:

Some of the common methods of adulteration in milk are:

1. Dilution with Water — This is the most common form of adulteration. It increases the volume but reduces the nutritional value.
2. Addition of Synthetic Milk — Some dishonest vendors mix synthetic milk, which contains harmful chemicals, with real milk.
3. Use of Detergents — Detergents are sometimes added to milk to create froth and give it a thicker appearance.
4. Starch and Other Substances — To maintain the consistency and density of diluted milk, substances like starch, glucose, and urea are added.

Impact of Adulteration in Milk on consumers:

1. Health Risks — Consuming adulterated milk can lead to serious health issues such as food poisoning, stomach disorders, and long-term illnesses due to toxic chemicals.
2. Economic Loss — Consumers pay the price for pure milk but receive an adulterated product, leading to financial loss and distrust in the market.

This example highlights how consumer trust can be breached through cheating in the market and impact their health and finances.