Resident files plaint against Big Bazaar for overcharging

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 14

A city resident has lodged a complaint against Big Bazaar, a retail chain of hypermarkets, for charging price over the maximum retail price (MRP) of the product.

He has stated that charging a customer above the MRP was illegal.

City advocate has filed a complaint against the company branch manager and managing director in the district consumer court.

The complainant had sought a compensation of Rs 2 lakh and Rs 10,000 court expenditure from the company. The first hearing in the case would be held on July 17.

North Estate resident advocate Milan Setia said on July 7, he had gone to Big Bazaar located at the basement of Mittal Mall for shopping.

He purchased goods including pillow cover, bleach, rice papad, face wash and fresh sweet corn.

Divulging details, he has stated that at the cash counter they told him to pay Rs 497.30, including all taxes, which he paid. Later, when he checked the bill then the cost of Insta Glow Oxygen Glow bleach (51.4 gm) was Rs 120, whereas its MRP was Rs 80. Even the price of rice papad (200 gm) was Rs 43 in the bill, whereas its MRP was Rs 34. Big Bazaar recovered Rs 49 more for the two items.

Later, when Setia told about the same to the person present at the counter, he refused to help him and his colleagues misbehaved with him.

Rule 6(1)(e) of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules mandate that on every package meant for retail sale the retail sale price is mentioned. Rule 2(m) defines “retail sale price” as the maximum price at which the commodity may be sold to the ultimate consumer and the price will be printed in the form of the MRP that is inclusive of all taxes.

Rule 18(5) also says that no wholesale dealer or retailer should obliterate, smudge or alter the retail sale price indicated by manufacturer or packer or importer.

Now, we have come to the most important provision. Rule 18(2) says: “No retail dealer or other person, including manufacturer, packer, importer and wholesale dealer, should make any sale of any commodity in a packed form at a price exceeding the retail sale price thereof.” Thus, selling at a price higher than the MRP is a clear violation of the Packaged Commodities Rules, he said.