“Sir, carry bag chahiye?”
The question sounds familiar, right? As you have already figured out, this is one of the most common questions asked to customers by the executives at the billing desks of a store. And you bet, there is hardly anyone of us who haven’t come across such a situation!
However, if there is a brand which will think twice before asking the question again, its popular show brand, Bata.
According to India Today, Bata India Limited has been charged with a Rs 9,000 fine for charging Rs. 3 for a paper bag from a customer. Dinesh Prasad Raturi, who hails from Chandigarh, was given a bill of Rs. 402 which included paper bag charges when he purchased a pair of shoes from the store located in Sector 22D.
Raturi went straight to the consumer forum and lodged a complaint against the brand for charging him money for the bag. He added that Bata was endorsing its brand on the bag which is unfair and asked for a refund of Rs. 3 with compensation.
As a result, the consumer forum has directed Bata India Limited to pay Rs. 3,000 to Raturi for the mental agony caused by the deficiency in their services. Besides that, the company will now have to deposit an amount of Rs. 5,000 in the legal aid account of the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
They will also have to refund the amount of Rs. 3 that was charged for the paper bag along with litigation charges, i.e. Rs 1000.
Though Bata countered the charges, the consumer forum said that if the brand was really concerned about the environment they would have provided free paper bags to the customers.
This comes as a stern warning for brands who are charging money for paper bags. Take note, folks!