Shopkeeper conceals actual price of toy, fined

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, January 22

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has penalised a shopkeeper for concealing the actual price and representing higher price on the product against its MRP.

In a complaint, Rohit Kumar, a resident of Sector 46-D, Chandigarh, submitted that he visited the shop of Vivek Stationers, Sector 46-C, Chandigarh, on October 4, 2018, and purchased an animal toy set for his child against which the shopkeeper charged him Rs 300.

However, on returning home, when he verified the price of the toy set, the same was found to be of Rs 124 as MRP.

When the complainant confronted the fact to the shopkeeper, he rudely behaved with him and refused to refund the excess amount charged against the MRP of the product.

In its reply, the shopkeeper stated that the complainant selected to purchase an animal set worth Rs 389 as MRP and sought discount. After negotiation, the deal was finalised for Rs 300 for the product against its MRP of Rs 389 and accordingly the bill was also issued. It was denied that the MRP of the product was Rs 124 as alleged.

After hearing the arguments, the forum stated that the price mentioned on the wrapper of the product was Rs 330 and the original copy of this wrapper, which had been appended by the complainant, revealed that the product in question had been priced at Rs 330 which in actual bears the MRP as Rs 124.

“In the light of cogent evidence placed on record, no iota of doubt is raised to state that the shopkeeper resorted to unfair trade practice by concealing the actual price of the product and representing higher price on it against its MRP and then offering discount on that,” observed the forum.

Thus, the forum directed the shopkeeper to refund the excess amount of Rs 176 so charged from the complainant against the product and also to pay him a lump sum amount of Rs 1,500 towards compensation and litigation expenses.