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.
Hudson is a city in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2000 census, its population was 8,775. Its 2008 estimated population was 11,865. Hudson has experienced considerable growth in recent years because of its proximity to the Twin Cities. Hudson, along with the rest of St. Croix County, is part of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro area. The village of North Hudson is located directly to the north of Hudson.