Guwahati, October 21: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission of Kamrup (Guwahati) has ordered Reliance SMART to pay Rs. 13,500 in compensation to Mehboobar Rahman, a consumer who filed a complaint against the retail store for adopting unfair trade practices.
The complaint was lodged after Rahman noticed that Reliance SMART charged more than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) for a product.
On September 21, 2022, Rahman purchased several items, including a 500-gram packet of Mantra Organic Sugar from Reliance SMART. Upon reviewing the invoice, Rahman discovered that the store charged Rs. 80.75 for the sugar, whereas the MRP printed on the product was Rs. 75. This overcharging prompted him to file a case against Reliance SMART, Reliance Retail Limited, Assam Tea Warehousing Corporation, and Reliance Industries Limited.
The Consumer Commission found that Reliance SMART had engaged in unfair trade practices by charging more than the MRP, violating consumer rights. The commission directed the store to compensate the complainant with Rs. 13,500, highlighting the need for strict adherence to pricing regulations and fair treatment of consumers.
In the case, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Kamrup (Guwahati) found that the retail store had charged more than the MRP for a product, leading to a significant penalty. When Rahman enquired about the overcharge, Reliance SMART informed him that the price of the 500 gm packet of Mantra Organic Sugar was incorrectly saved in their system as Rs. 80.75, instead of the MRP of Rs. 75.
In its judgment, the Commission noted that this error demonstrated an intention by Reliance SMART to gain wrongful profit by charging customers more than the MRP and then blaming the mistake on their system. The Commission further criticized this practice as an unfair trade practice, designed to exploit customers.
The case was later presented before the National Lok Adalat, where Reliance SMART, along with other respondents, was directed to pay Rs. 13,500 in compensation to the complainant. Despite the overcharge being only Rs. 5.75, the compensation reflects the seriousness of the violation, underscoring the importance of protecting consumer rights and adhering to MRP regulations.
