Bata Asked Customer To Pay Rs 3 For Paper Bag; Court Slaps Fine Of Rs 9000?

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How often it has happened that you went to a showroom or supermarket to make a purchase, and at the billing counter, the cashier asks you to pay extra for a bag.

Often the amount asked is very low, such as Rs 3, or Rs 5, or max Rs 10, and customers don’t think twice before paying that amount, thinking of convenience and fast exit.

However, one customer from Chandigarh refused to pay the amount.

And what happened next can set a new standard for all retailers in India.

The Case At Bata Showroom in Chandigarh

Chandigarh resident Dinesh Prasad Raturi went to Bata showroom at Sector 22D for purchasing shoes.

The bill came to Rs 401, which included Rs 3 for paper bag for carrying the product.

When Dinesh saw the bill, he refused to pay Rs 3 for the paper bag, and asked the management to refund it.

The management refused, and the case went to the consumer court.

Consumer Court to Baba: Pay Rs 5000 To Dinesh

Dinesh argued that the paper page in which Bata delivered the show had their branding on that, and thus, there is no reason he should pay for the same.

Besides, it is the duty of the retailer to provide with bags in order to enable the user to safely carry the product.

Consumer Court approved the logic presented by Dinesh, and slapped a fine of Rs 9000 on Bata’s showroom at Sector 22D.

The breakup of the fine is:

Bata needs to pay Rs 1000 to Dinesh as litigation cost of this case

Bata needs to pay Rs 3000 to Dinesh for causing mental agony due to the case

Bata needs to pay Rs 5000 to the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission

And, ofcourse, Rs 3 charged for the paper bag needs to be refunded back as well.

Can This Case Set A New Precedent?

The Consumer Court has ordered Bata to provide environmental friendly bags (which also can include paper-bag) to all consumers, who are making a purchase from their showroom.

And this ruling can set a new precedent, all across India.

In states like Maharashtra, plastic bags are banned, and retailers and supermarkets charge Rs 5 to Rs 10 per bag for carrying the items. This can be paper bag or cloth bag, and customers don’t have any choice.

In case Chandigarh’s consumer court can ask Bata to refund the money, then it means that every retailer and supermarket can.

We will keep you updated, as more details come in.

Image Source: Wikipedia