Have you ever purchased bottled water from multiplexes, restaurants or airports? The last time when you bought 1, weren’t you surprised to see the amount which they were sold at? Well, it is a common case, in multiplexes or airports, these bottles are sold at 20 percent higher prices.
However, you need not worry; as there is a new law against this practice. Ram Vilas Paswan, the Consumer Affairs minister stated that selling cold drinks or water bottles at prices higher than the MRP, would lead to heavy penalties and jail terms.
We have also seen cases, where is no mention of the MRP whatsoever. As per section 36 of Legal Metrology Act, anyone who is caught delivering, distributing or selling pre-packaged commodity which doesn’t conform to the package declarations would be fined up to Rs 25,000. This is for the 1st time; if he is caught doing it for the 2nd time, the fine would increase to Rs 50,000.
If such things keep repeating, the fine can go up to Rs 1 lakh, combined with imprisonment. Although this law came into effect in the year 2009 itself, consumers had little or no awareness about the same.
In 2007, Delhi High Court had stated that the restaurants and hotels can’t sell bottled water above the MRP. Even in Feb 2015, NCDRC, the apex court commission imposed a Rs 5 lakh fine on a multiplex who was selling water above the mentioned MRP.
If you find any such cases, you can easily lodge complaints on their online mediums. This is definitely going to be a relief for all of us, isn’t it? We often go to theaters but hesitate in buying bottled water or cold drinks there, just because of the prices. This is indeed a good move and hope it will bring in a lot of difference.
