Consumer protection refers to the laws designed to aid retail consumers of goods and services that have been improperly manufactured, delivered, performed, handled, or described. Such laws provide the retail consumer with additional protections and remedies not generally provided to merchants and others who engage in business transactions, on the premise that the consumers do not enjoy a sufficient bargaining position with respect to the businessmen with whom they deal and therefore should not be strictly limited by the legal rules that govern recovery for damages among businessmen. The overarching goal is to protect individuals and the interest of the public in general from unfair and misleading activity in business and commerce (such as false advertising and deceptive trade practices) and scams perpetrated by criminals (such as identity theft and pyramid schemes) that harm a substantial number of consumers.
Essex Junction is a village in the town of Essex in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. The population was 8,591 at the 2000 census. It was incorporated on November 15, 1892. Essex Junction is home to the Champlain Valley Exposition which hosts the Champlain Valley Fair at the end of each summer. Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides daily service to Essex Junction, which serves as a focal point for rail travel in the greater Burlington area, which includes Essex and Winooski. Amtrak operates its Vermonter from St. Albans, VT to Washington, D.C.. The Village of Essex Junction is also one of three voting districts (District 6-2) in the Town of Essex, with Districts 6-1 & 6-3 together comprising the town outside the village. The Village and Town each operate their own fire department, library, parks department, and municipal services, and contain separate school districts for grades K–8. Both governments operate a unified police department, and the unified Essex High School. Essex Junction is home to IBM's Burlington Design Center and 200 mm wafer fabrication plant. IBM is the state's largest private employer, with approximately 6500 employees.