Shoe store charges Rs 3 for bag, fined Rs 9,000

[whitestar_999]

Shoe store charges Rs 3 for bag, fined Rs 9,000 | India News - Times of India

A consumer forum in Chandigarh criticised a leading shoe firm for making a customer pay Rs 3 for a paper bag on purchase of goods. It also instructed Bata India Limited to pay Rs 9,000 to the consumer for deficiency in services.
Chandigarh resident Dinesh Prasad Raturi had moved the consumer forum after the store charged him Rs 402 for a pair of shoes and this also included Rs 3 for the paper bag. The forum described it as an unfair trade practice and ask- ed Bata India to provide free paper bags to its customers.
The firm was directed to refund Rs 3 wrongly charged for the paper carry bag; pay Rs 3,000 as compensation for mental and physical harassment; pay Rs 1,000 as litigation expenses; and deposit Rs 5,000 in the Consumer Legal Aid account as punitive damages.
State consumer disputes redressal forum has directed Westside in Elante mall to provide free carry bags to customers and pay Rs 3,000 to a complainant. The authorities of Westside were also told to refund Rs 10, which it had charged for a paper carry bag from a customer.
In her plea, the complainant had stated that she had purchased garments from Westside was shocked to see that the shop had charged Rs 10 for a bag.

@billubakra this might interest you

 

[saswat23]

So stores are supposed to provide carry bags free of charge if we purchase from them?

 

[Desmond]

So stores are supposed to provide carry bags free of charge if we purchase from them?

IMO that's the least they can do for our patronage. I think it wouldn't have been much of an issue if they charged Re. 1. Three rupees is too much IMO, especially for paper bags.

 

[saswat23]

But is there a rule/law for that? Otherwise on what basis does one approach the consumer forum for this?
There must be some rule/law for this. Right?

 

[whitestar_999]

I think it means you are not supposed to carry your own bag to buy items like clothes,shoes etc.It is just like saying TV showroom will give you the TV but charge separately for the carry carton.Either you include the price in the mrp of product itself or you give it for free but you are not supposed to charge for it separately.

 

[billubakra]

@whitestar_999
Read it in the newspaper. These kinda things are happening in every sector, if you go to buy an automobile they will add transportation/logistic or similar kinda charges. Courts have ruled against them but they are still doing it. Not comparable to a paperbag but an unnecessary charge.