KOCHI: The health wing of the Kochi Corporation, in association with the Legal Metrology Department, will conduct inspections at malls and shopping complexes to find out if customers are charged over and above the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) for packaged food products.
The decision of the civic body to crack down on traders who fleece customers was announced by Mayor Soumini Jain at the corporation council meeting on Wednesday, after several councillors raised the issue.
“No one can charge customers over and above the MRP, and such acts are illegal. After the joint inspections, the civic body will follow them up,” she said. Raising the issue in the council, Deputy Mayor T.J. Vinod and councillors V.P. Chandran and Antony Painuthara said cinema hall owners had been exploiting customers.
Mr. Vinod pointed out that some theatre managements had indiscriminately hiked ticket rates after the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST).
“Post-GST, the civic bodies have no role in controlling pricing, as taxes are paid online, and tickets need not be stamped by them. This has resulted in huge financial loss on account of entertainment tax. Annually, the Kochi Corporation loses around ₹14 crore. It should be compensated for the loss,” Mr. Vinod said.
Ms. Jain said the issue would be brought to the notice of the State government.