Bata is known for its high-quality and distinct designer family footwear with over 1375 stores covering different metro and towns. However; recently it was fined by the Consumer Court for charging extra money for its paper bags.
The complaint was filed by a resident of Chandigarh, Dinesh Prasad Raturi, who purchased a pair of shoes on 5th Feb 2019 in a store located in Sector 22 D. The Bata store was found charging him with additional cost for the paper bag (Rs. 3) on which the company was also endorsing its brand name.
If you are paying for paper bags, perhaps a change is coming. The consumer forum has just asked Bata to provide them for free to all customers, given that a carry bag is essential to the purchase of the product #ConsumerRightshttps://t.co/PIXxz1Wsgn — The Better India (@thebetterindia) April 16, 2019
If you are paying for paper bags, perhaps a change is coming. The consumer forum has just asked Bata to provide them for free to all customers, given that a carry bag is essential to the purchase of the product #ConsumerRightshttps://t.co/PIXxz1Wsgn
The regulator of the Consumer Forum found Bata Company at fault and imposed a fine of Rs. 9000 for its deficiency in the services. The Forum believes that charging additional money for a carry bag is not acceptable as it is the store’s duty to provide a free bag to the customer.
‘If the companies are worried about the environment, then they should free-environment friendly bags to its customers’ said the consumer forum.
The forum has directed the company to refund Rs. 3 for wrongly charging for the paper bag, Rs. 3000 as compensation charges, Rs. 1000 as litigation charges and a deposit of Rs. 5000 in the Consumer Legal Aid as punitive damages.
The Consumer Forum has told all the Bata outlets to provide free of cost carry bags to all its customers. A similar incident happened with Westside outlet in Elante Mall, Chandigarh where the outlet was found charging an additional cost of Rs. 10 for its carry bags.
The Consumer Redressal Forum has ordered the outlet to pay Rs. 3000 to the consumer and also to refund the additional amount of Rs. 10 for the paper bag.