Bata Ordered to Pay Rs 10,000 After Charging Woman Rs 6 for Carry Bag Without Notice
A Delhi consumer court pulled up Bata India for charging a customer ₹6 for a paper carry bag without informing shoppers in advance and ordered the company to pay ₹10,000 as compensation and litigation costs.
Bata India has been directed to pay ₹10,000 to a woman customer after charging her ₹6 for a paper carry bag without displaying any prior notice in the store.
The case dates back to May 2023, when Delhi resident Preeti Agrawal bought shoes worth ₹1,499 from a Bata store. She claimed she was informed about the extra charge for the carry bag only when she reached the billing counter. According to her complaint, there was no sign anywhere in the store mentioning that customers would have to pay separately for a carry bag.
The South Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ruled in her favour, saying that while retailers are legally allowed to charge for plain, unbranded carry bags, they must clearly inform customers beforehand through prominent notices inside the store.
The commission observed that the absence of such a notice denied the customer the opportunity to make an informed decision before completing her purchase. It clarified that Bata was not required to provide free carry bags, but failed to follow consumer guidelines regarding displaying carry bag charges.
Bata argued that the paper bag was a separate product with its own MRP and was provided only after obtaining the customer’s consent. However, the consumer court held the company responsible and ordered it to pay compensation and litigation costs amounting to ₹10,000.
