A restaurant owner in east Chennai has been directed to pay a fine of Rs.15,000 to a customer who was asked to shell out Rs.38 for a water bottle which had a maximum retail price (MRP) of Rs.18. The fine comes at a time when consumer courts are turning the heat on shop-owners who overcharge. In a recent landmark decision, the state consumer commission had slapped a fine of Rs.50,000 on a cineplex for similar malpractice. Mr. Mehta was awarded the compensation by east district consumer forum president and members directing Zaika Bazaar, Karkardooma Complex, to compensate Mr. Mehta for overcharging. The Forum said: “The present complaint is covered by the judgment of the state consumer commission in case of Nirulas vs Ankit Jain in which it said no trader or service provider can charge more price than an item’s MRP printed on the packed item, if delivered packed”. Ordering the restaurant owner to discontinue the malpractice, the forum said charging higher amount than MRP, if delivered in packed form, was against the law of the land. Mr. Mehta had bought a bottle of Aquafina water from the restaurant in November last year and was asked to pay Rs.38 for it, including a VAT of Rs.8, when the bottle had a MRP of Rs.18 printed on it.

We have often heard about the rights of the customers, according to you which of the following is the DUTY of the consumer while purchasing, using and consuming goods and services?

• Awareness about goods and services available in the market.
• Purchase of non-standardized goods as they provide quality assurance to the consumers.
• Read labels carefully so as to have information about the prices, net weight etc. about the goods.
• Ask for cash memo on purchase of goods and services.

1,3 and 4

Buying only standardised goods as they provide quality assurance. Thus we should always look for ISI mark on electrical goods, FPO mark on food products, Hallmark on jewellery etc.