Charging Rs 25 extra for soft drink costs eatery Rs 4,000!

Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Mohali, August 19

Charging Rs 25 in excess for a soft drink bottle cost a local Pizza Hut outlet dear as the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum imposed a penalty of Rs 4,000, including litigation expenses, on its management here.

The forum also ordered the management to refund the amount which was charged in excess of the MRP of the soft drink bottle, along with interest at the rate of 6 per cent per annum to the complainant with effect from November 1, 2017. The management has been asked to make the payment within 30 days from the date of receipt of a certified copy of the order.

Local resident Hakam Singh, the complainant in the case, had approached the forum stating that he and his friend had purchased a pizza and a Pepsi bottle from the opposite party (OP), Pizza Hut, Devyani International Ltd, at Phase 5 here on November 1 last year. “The OP had charged Rs 60 for the Pepsi bottle whereas its MRP was Rs 35 in the open market,” alleged the complainant.

The forum observed that the evidence produced by the complainant established that an amount of Rs 25 was charged in excess of the MRP printed on the bottle and thus the OP had adopted unfair trade practice.

“There is nothing on record to suggest that the OP provided any ambiance or extra facilities like that of three-star and five-star hotels for the sale of the product in question on its premises. Because of the adoption of unfair trade practice by the OP in charging Rs 25 extra, the complainant suffered mental agony and harassment and as such he is entitled to compensation under that head along with litigation expenses,” observed the forum while allowing the complaint ex parte. The court ordered the OP to pay Rs 2,000 as compensation for mental agony, harassment and an equal amount as litigation expenses.

Mohali resident moved consumer court 

Mohali resident Hakam Singh, the complainant in the case, had approached the consumer forum stating that he and his friend had purchased a pizza and a Pepsi bottle from the opposite party, Pizza Hut, Devyani International Ltd, at Phase 5, Mohali, on November 1 last year. “The opposite party had charged Rs 60 for the Pepsi bottle whereas its MRP was Rs 35 in the open market,” the complainant had alleged.