A Chandigarh consumer forum has recently imposed a fine of Rs 9,000 on Bata India Limited for asking a consumer to pay Rs 3 for a paper bag.
The forum observed that there was deficiency in services of the retail brand as forcing a consumer to pay for a paper bag was unacceptable and it was the store's duty to provide a free paper bag to the customer who had bought their product.
The judgment was passed on a complaint filed by Chandigarh resident Dinesh Prasad Raturi, who told the consumer forum that he had purchased a pair of shoes on February 5, 2019, from a Bata store located in Sector 22D. The store charged him Rs 402 which also included charges for the paper bag. Raturi told the forum that by charging him for the bag, Bata was also endorsing its brand on the bag which was not justified.
Raturi in his complaint sought a refund of Rs 3 and compensation for deficiency in services.
The company countered the arguments submitted by the complainant, however, the forum held the company guilty of deficiency in services and ordered it to refund the cost of the bag (Rs 3) and pay for the litigation charges of Rs 1,000.
Further, the consumer forum also directed Bata India to pay the compensation of Rs 3,000 to the customer for the mental agony caused by the deficiency in services and ordered the company to pay Rs 5,000 in the legal aid account of the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. The company was also directed to provide free paper bags to its customers and also distinguished that if the companies were that worried about the environment, they must provide free environment-friendly bags to their customers.
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