Title: Consumer Forum Holds Britania and Bakery Liable for Selling Underweight Biscuits
Order: CC 191/20 filed on 03/03/2020 by District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Thrissur, Kerala.
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Thrissur, Kerala has declared Britania Industries and Chukkiri Royal Bakery accountable for selling biscuit packets lighter than the weight advertised. This verdict was passed by the panel consisting of C.T. Sabu (President), Sreeja S. (Member), and Ram Mohan R. (Member), citing a breach of the Legal Metrology Act and the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
The case began when a customer purchased two packets of “Britania Nutri Choice Thin Arrow Root Biscuits” from Chukkiri Royal Bakery, each costing Rs. 40. Despite the packages stating they each contained 300g of biscuits, the customer found that one packet weighed only 268g and the other 249g.
After discovering the discrepancy, the customer lodged a complaint with the Assistant Controller, Flying Squad, Legal Metrology, Thrissur, who verified and confirmed the weight shortage. The customer then took the matter to the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
Despite being notified, neither Britania nor the bakery provided any written response to the District Commission, leading to a decision being made in their absence.
The Commission confirmed the weight discrepancies, observing that selling products lighter than advertised constituted unfair trade practices. The Commission also referred to Section 30 of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, which forbids selling items of less quantity than what the customer paid for. The Commission ruled that both Britania and the bakery had violated this section, resulting in a service deficiency under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
The Commission pointed out that although the Legal Metrology Officer could not award compensation under the Legal Metrology Act, the customer was entitled to compensation under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. Consequently, the Commission ordered Britania and the bakery to pay the customer Rs. 50,000 as compensation and Rs. 10,000 for legal expenses.
The companies were also instructed to stop selling underweight products. The Controller of Legal Metrology, Kerala, was further directed to conduct state-wide inspections to ensure compliance with net quantity declarations for packaged goods.
Case Title: George Thattil vs The Proprietor, Chukkiri Royal Bakery and Anr.
Complainant’s Advocate: A.D. Benny
Opposite Party’s Advocate: None (Ex-parte)
The takeaway from this case is that consumers have rights and can seek redressal when they feel cheated. The verdict reinforces the importance of ethical trade practices and emphasizes the consumer’s right to get what they pay for. Misleading consumers about product quantities not only violates the law but also erodes consumer trust, which can have long-term impacts on a business’s reputation and bottom line.
