Yet another store fined for charging for carry bag

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 18

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has penalised an apparel store at Elante Mall with Rs 10,000 for wrongly charging Rs 7.25 for a carry bag.

In her complaint, Neetika Narula, a resident of Sector 44-B, submitted that she purchased dresses for her minor son from Unlimited, a fashion store at Elante, and requested for a carry bag at the billing counter. The cashier told her that they would be charging additionally for the same and the bill mentioned Rs 7.25 as charge for the carry bag.

The complainant stated that it was not mentioned anywhere on the entire shop premises that extra charges would be applicable for carry bag.

A notice was sent to the opposite party, but it did not turn up in spite of service. As such, it was proceeded ex-parte.

“The non-appearance of the opposite party shows that it has nothing to say in its defence against the allegation. Therefore, the complainant’s assertions go unrebutted and uncontroverted,” observed the forum.

“At any rate, charges of such things (carry bags) cannot be separately foisted upon the consumers and would amount to overcharging. In this manner, the complainant and other gullible consumers have certainly been taken for a ride by the opposite party,” stated the forum.

The act of the opposite party amounts to deficiency in service and its indulgence in unfair trade practice, said the forum.

“The sequence of the events clearly establishes the high headedness of the opposite party. On this account, we deem it proper to penalise it for indulging in such activity, thereby not only causing loss, mental agony and physical harassment to the complainant but also giving rise to an undesirable litigation, thereby wasting the precious time of this forum.”

The forum penalised the store with a cost of Rs 10,000 to be deposited in the Consumer Legal Aid Account.

The forum also directed it to provide free carry bags to all customers forthwith, to refund to the complainant the amount of Rs 7.25 wrongly charged for the paper carry bag.

The forum also directed Unlimited to pay Rs 1,500 to the complainant towards compensation for harassment and mental agony and Rs 1,500 as litigation expenses.