Big Bazaar charges Chandigarh resident Rs 10 for carry bag, fined Rs 20K

Mohali, July 8

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Mohali, has imposed a penalty of Rs20,000 on Big Bazaar for charging Rs10 for a carry bag.

In his order, commission president Sanjiv Dutt said: “We are imposing punitive/exemplary cost to the tune of Rs20,000 on the opposite party (Big Bazaar) in order to refrain it from committing this act again. This amount of punitive/exemplary cost will go to the legal aid account of the commission”.

Advocate Kulwinder Singh, counsel for complainant Dinesh Vohra, a resident of Sector 21-D, Chandigarh, averred that his client purchased eight items on July 7, 2019, from Big Bazaar amounting to Rs 992.73. As the complainant did not have any bag to carry the articles, he was asked to pay Rs10 extra for the carry bag. Thus, alleging deficiency in service on part of the opposite party, the complainant sought refund of Rs 10 and Rs 50,000 as compensation for mental harassment and Rs 11,000 as litigation cost.

In reply, Big Bazaar averred that in order to follow environmental responsible policy and encourage customers to carry their own bags, a notice was provided to customers by way of advertisement and posters displayed at the prominent locations of the store that every customer will have to pay Rs10 for carry bag in addition to the bill. It is further averred that the price of the carry bag was added to the invoice only after the complainant was specifically asked whether he wants to purchase it or not. Denying any deficiency in service on its part, the opposite party prayed for the dismissal of the complaint.

The commission ordered the opposite party to refund Rs10 to complainant within 30 days, along with consolidated amount of compensation for harassment and litigation cost of Rs1,000. — TNS