PUNE: The District Consumer Forum has issued an order to Reliance Clothing India Pvt Ltd to pay Rs 25,000 on account of charging Rs 8 for a paper bag. The order was passed on December 30, 2019, by Consumer Forum President Umesh Javlikar, Members Kshitija Kulkarni and Sangita Deshmukh.
Complainant Davinder Singh of Viman Nagar, who purchased shoes from Reliance India Clothing Pvt Ltd’s store in Phoenix Market City, Viman Nagar, on April 25, 2019, was charged Rs 8 for a paper bag. However, when the complainant mentioned that there is no mention of MRP on the paper bag and asked for a refund, the store manager refused.
When he complained to the company’s authority, he received an apology from the company but not the refund.
Thereafter, Singh filed a complaint before the consumer forum on August 30, 2019, demanding the refund of Rs 8 and Rs 1 lakh compensation for mental harassment.
The forum issued notice to the company but they did not appear. Hence, an ex-parte order was issued. The complainant had produced the receipt and the paper bag in the forum. The MRP was not mentioned on the bag.
The forum, after going through all evidence and previous judgements, directed the company to refund Rs 8 with nine per cent interest from April 25, 2019, till the date of payment and ordered the company to pay Rs 25,000 compensation towards litigation cost and mental and physical harassment, within 30 days.
