Free carrybags have to be provided by shops: Bata India in the dock!

Here is some money-saving tip for consumers. By law, no shop can charge you for carrybags. A recent ruling by a consumer court has much to say about this rule.

The story goes that Dinesh Parshad Raturi was made to pay Rs 3 for a carrybag when he shopped at a Bata showroom. Upset with this deficiency of service, he reported the matter to the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Chandigarh.

After the arguments were heard, the court ruled that Bata was indeed guilty of unfair trade practice as they were not supposed to charge any money for the carrybag.

The court’s justification went something like this, and it is important for us to note why Bata was fined. The court judge said that the consumer used a carrybag that sported the Bata logo and gave free publicity to the company. In addition, the bag was essential to packing of the shoes, and therefore it was wrong for the store to charge the customer separately for it.

The consumer court has ordered Bata India to give away carrybags without charging a dime to all their patrons across the country. In this case, the court ordered Bata to pay back Rs 3 and Rs 3000 as compensation for the stress and Rs 1000 as costs. In addition, Bata India was fined Rs 5000, an amount that had to be remitted in the Consumer Legal Aid Account of the court.

Therefore, the next time you step out to shop, know your rights. You don’t have to pay for the carrybag. And if the shops in the malls or standalone stores charge you, file a case in the consumer forum. Also remember that the carrybags cannot be plastic. They have to be paper or cloth bags.