This popular brand retailer now in trouble over Rs 7 shopping bag fee, invites big penalty

Delhi: The District Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (DCDRC) has directed the popular fashion brand Lifestyle to compensate a consumer with Rs 3000 after he was levied a Rs 7 charge for a paper shopping bag. The ruling came after the consumer filed a complaint with the commission against the brand for imposing a fee for the paper bag which was deemed unfair. Terming this an unfair trade practice, DCDRC necessitated redressal for the inconvenience caused to the consumer. The incident took place in December 2020. 

As per media reports, the District Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission in its statement stated that no brand can charge any amount for carry bags especially for the items that have been purchased from the same outlet. The commission also strongly criticised the practice of charging customers for paper bags, stating that such actions at the point of payment lead to customer harassment. It reportedly highlighted that this practice not only imposes an additional cost burden on consumers but also hampers their right to make informed decisions regarding their choice of outlets. 

However, this incident is not one of its kind. Continuing a concerning trend, time and again, many consumers highlight their experience of being charged for carry bags of on social media. In a similar case, on October 4, a consumer court in Bengaluru imposed a fine of Rs 3,000 on furniture giant Ikea for levying a Rs 20 fee for a carry bag, reports suggested.

Although legal experts term this practice is both unfair and illegal and despite previous consumer court verdicts discouraging this practice, the charging for carry bags remains prevalent among retailers.