Madurai
The Madurai District Consumer Forum has directed a restaurant owner to pay compensation to a customer for selling a packed pista milk bottle above MRP. The shop owner was directed not to repeat the unfair trade practice in future.
The consumer forum, comprising president V. Balasundarakumar and members M. Maraikamalai and S. Rajareega, directed Pechiamman Milk Depot Restaurant, Madurai, to deposit ₹50, 000 as punitive damage to the State Consumer Welfare Fund.
The forum directed the restaurant owner to pay the customer a compensation of ₹15, 000 and cost of ₹3000. Further, it directed the owner to return the excess amount collected from the customer.
The complainant, S. Sumesh of Madurai, said that he had visited the shop in 2016 and purchased a bottle of pista milk. The MRP on the bottle read ₹22. However, the shop owner charged ₹25.
It was submitted that the MRP on the bottle was not printed and instead a small sticker was affixed. The complainant claimed that the non-printing of MRP on the bottle amounted to unfair trade practice and sought appropriate compensation.