Retail stores continue to charge for carry bags from customers

Kritika Kanwar

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 21

Recently, the Chandigarh Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum imposed a penalty of Rs 13,000 on Lifestyle, a leading retail store at Elante Mall, for charging Rs 5 from a consumer for a carry bag. A complaint was filed with the consumer forum in this regard by a couple, Pankaj and Seema Chandgothia.

The Lifestyle store was asked to deposit Rs 10,000 as penalty in the Consumer Legal Aid account and pay Rs 1,500 each to the complainants as compensation for “mental agony” and litigation expenses. But there seems to be no bearing of the decision on other retail stores in the mall.

On Saturday, another customer Radhika Sharma bought some items from Big Bazaar at Elante Mall. At the time of billing, she was asked to pay Rs 10 for the carry bag.

“When I questioned the cashier, he denied having any intimation regarding the forum’s decision and asked me to shell out extra money for the paper bag,” said Radhika.

A random visit to different showrooms in the mall by a Tribune reporter revealed that charging for carry bags continued unabated. While some showrooms selling sportswear refused to charge extra for paper bags, others like Pantaloons, Puma and Big Bazaar still ask customers to pay extra an amount of Rs 5, 7 or 10 for carry bags as they consider it to be an additional cost to the company.

In its decision, the consumer forum had clearly stated that charging for the carry bag from a consumer amounts to deficiency in service and indulgence in unfair trade practices. It had also directed the Lifestyle store to provide free shopping bags to customers and ordered them to refund Rs 5 to the complainant, which was wrongly charged.

Meanwhile, managers of showrooms like Zara, Levis, Aldo, Nike and Riders denied charging any extra amount for carry bags.

“Why should a customer pay for a carry bag? If they buy some product from our showroom, it is our responsibility to ensure better customer services to him/her. We cannot expect them to carry their articles in their hands,” Rakesh, (name changed), Zara store manager.

On the other hand, the store manager of Puma showroom said, “Charging for carry bag varies from brand to brand. We charge our customers as it is a cost to the company. We do not compel our customers to buy the bag. We always ask them before deducting the money whether they need carry bag or not.”

“Moreover, we have started using paper bags in place of the plastic ones, which are costlier. Hence, we charge additionally for carry bags,” he added.

“Adhering to decision of the consumer forum, our outlet has stopped charging for carry bags,” said Sanjeev (name changed), manager at the Lifestyle showroom, which was penalised by the forum.

When The Tribune reporter contacted the assistant manager at of Big Bazaar outlet at Elante Mall, he said, “We are aware of the forum’s decision, but we cannot implement the order unless we receive anything in writing.”

“I was aware that there is no such law which allows retail stores to charge for carry bags. Hence, I decided to complain. The consumer forum does not have the authority to make laws. It only settles cases between two parties. Hence, the decision was taken only against Lifestyle showroom,” said Pankaj Chandgothia, an advocate.

“Other outlets should have voluntarily given up this illegal practice of charging for carry bags. The cost of carry bags is a part of the overhead expenses of the brand,” he added.