Cinema snacks not above MRP

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, April 30

No sale of packed eatable items above the MRP will be allowed in cinema halls and multiplexes. They will also display the menu and rates in the cinema halls.

Besides, the cinema hall owners will also allow the elderly, kids and patients to take their food inside the halls. These are some issues that were agreed upon by cinema hall owners/representatives at a meeting of the District Consumer Protection Council (DCPC), chaired by Deputy Commissioner Ajit Balaji Joshi on Monday.

The DCPC had called the meeting of cinema owners in Chandigarh to discuss the issue of exorbitant prices of eatables and beverages inside cinema halls and prohibition of outside food in the halls.

Ajay Jagga, one of the members of the DCPC, said the cinema owners were directed by the Deputy Commissioner to submit the rate list of eatables sold inside the halls in 30 days. The representatives of the cinema halls were also told to sell health drinks such as milk and lassi, besides other items.

The cinema hall owners were called in view of an observation of the Bombay High Court that movie-goers cannot be prohibited from bringing their own food and water bottles inside theatres and multiplexes as the vendors are allowed to sell these at sky-high prices.

The observation of the High Court came while hearing a public interest litigation challenging the ban on packed food inside cinema halls, especially multiplexes. 

Members of the council were of the view that the prohibition to carry water and food violated the fundamental right to life of medically venerable persons and senior citizens. The representatives of the cinema halls objected to the demand  for allowing all persons to carry their  food inside the  halls. They said it would  pose a serious  security threat. However, they agreed to allow  the elderly, kids and patients to take their food inside the hall.

The members said vendors  inside  the  cinema  halls sold food items at high prices,  which needed to be checked. A member  said the food items were sold at three to four times the normal price. The members  also  raised cases of complaints  regarding misbehavior by security guards.

Kids, elderly allowed to take food inside

The owners will have to display the menu and rates in the cinema halls. Besides, they will also allow the elderly, kids and patients to take their food inside the halls.