Consumer protection laws encompass a variety of issues as widespread as food safety, consumer rights and unfair business practices.  Though there are many consumer protection laws and agencies in force today, such as the Consumer Protection Act and the Better Business Bureau, this was not always the case.  However, as the Industrial Revolution spread throughout the West in the 19th century, cities grew larger and families began to rely on businesses to process and preserve food.  It soon became evident that consumer protection laws were needed.  In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its Food and Drug Act in 1906 as a consumer protection law.  Today, the FDA regulates consumer concerns ranging from bottled water to cosmetic surgery.

Consumer protection laws involve more than regulating the safety of the products or procedures we buy.  They also cover truth in advertising and unfair business practices.  Anti-trust laws are a category of consumer protection laws that prevent monopolies.  Monopolies hurt consumer interests when they control the entire market on a product or service.  If consumers do not have the freedom to choose another company when they are not being treated fairly, this hurts free-trade and opens the door to fraud against consumers.  Recent examples of the United States government taking action against monopolism involved AT&T and Microsoft.

Though most consumer protection laws are beneficial and appreciated by all, some are surrounded by controversy.  Laws mandating motorcycle helmets or automobile seatbelts meant to protect the consumer, are often seen as infringements on personal freedom.