A Bengaluru resident recently won a battle against Reliance Retail, India’s largest retailer, after being compelled to pay Rs 24.9 for a carry bag after buying things worth more than Rs 2,000. Ravikiran C, 34, won the case against Reliance Retail, forcing the store to pay Rs 7,000 for unfair trade practices and breach of customer rights.
A brief about A Bengaluru man had sued Reliance Retail for charging Rs 24.9 for carry bag
Ravikiran and his wife stopped by Reliance Smart Point at Nandini Layout on their way back from a temple on July 10, this year. The couple purchased food and other household products costing approximately Rs 2,007 but were taken aback when the salespersons at the billing counter asked them to pay Rs 24.9 for a carry bag.
The 34-year-old, who is also an advocate, presented the legal aspects based on consumer rights and fought against paying for the carry bag, but he was ultimately obliged to buy the Rs 24.9 bag since he needed to transport the products home.
Ravikiran, on the other hand, went to the Bengaluru urban district consumer disputes redressal commission and filed a complaint for unfair trade practices against Reliance Retail Limited and the manager of the Reliance Smart Point outlet. In the July 16th litigation, the advocate presented his case for himself. A legal notice was given on Reliance, but the retail giant refused to appear, prompting the court to declare the case ex-parte.
During the hearing, consumer Ravikiran argued that shopping malls should provide free carry bags as an inherent component of the customer satisfaction criteria. Furthermore, he stated that it is a criterion under the Customer Protection Act that businesses should not always ask customers to bring bags with them. Ravikiran contended that retail businesses are obligated to provide a carry bag with purchases.
The upset client even alleged that merchants are attempting to profit from the plastic bag ban by charging customers for carrying bags. This is nothing more than unfair business behavior and a lack of service.
Ravikiran described it as an obvious breach of consumer rights, and in the case of Reliance, he claimed that a carry bag with their logo is sold to customers, and they receive publicity without investing a single penny.
The matter was investigated for nearly four months, and the consumer forum’s judges chastised Reliance Retail for failing to appear in front of them despite a notice. They stated that it was an unfair trading practice not to provide customers with free carry bags for their purchases when buyers are often not even allowed to bring bags from outside.
The court went on to say that it is the retail store’s responsibility to show messages stating that customers must purchase bags, which the outlet in question failed to do. The court decided that a customer has the right to know that there will be an additional charge for carry bags before selecting goods for purchase.
On November 4, the city consumer court issued its decision, ruling that Reliance Retail Limited must repay Rs 24.9 collected from the Bengaluru client towards the carry bag. Reliance Retail was also ordered to pay Ravikiran Rs 5,000 in compensation and additional Rs 2,000 in court expenses. The opposing party was given 60 days to comply with the order.
