A consumer court in Lucknow has fined a retail chain store Rs 35,000 for selling a bag for Rs 18 to a consumer who purchased a shirt from it.
The court observed that the store had offered deficient service and displayed inappropriate behaviour towards the consumer.
The quantum of the fine has been determined by calculating 9 per cent yearly interest on the Rs 18 that was charged for the bag. In addition, the consumer has been awarded Rs 25,000 for the mental agony he had to undergo because of the store. The remainder of the fine is to cover the costs incurred in filing the complaint.
The entire amount is to be paid within 45 days of the order which was passed on January 15.
The complaint was made against a store at Kanpur Road, Lucknow.
Shashikant Shukla said that when even small, streetside vendors offered carry bags, what business did such a big store have charging for a bag after he had purchased a shirt worth Rs 599.
Shukla said that at the payment counter he was given a bill of Rs 616. The person at the counter did not ask whether Shukla wanted a bag but simply informed him that he would have to pay an additional Rs 18 for one.
Even though Shukla insisted that he did not want a bag, he was told that getting one was mandatory under the store’s policies.
The incident took place in the second week of September 2023. After this, Shukla sent a written complaint to the store. When he did not receive any response, he filed a case in the consumer court.
The court also sent a notice to the store but did not receive any response, after which legal proceedings were initiated in October 2023.
While delivering its judgment, the Lucknow court cited one by the national consumer court.
In September 2023, the national body had said that it was unfair to charge a consumer for a carry bag without explicitly informing him about the same.
