Bengaluru Woman Wins Legal Battle Against Ikea : Rs 3,000 Fine Imposed for Rs 20 Carry Bag Charge

In a significant legal victory, a Bengaluru court has ruled that multinational furniture retail giant Ikea must pay a fine of Rs 3,000 to a local woman, Sangeetha Bohra. The fine is in response to Ikea’s practice of charging Rs 20 for a carry bag bearing the company’s logo, which Sangeetha Bohra found unfair and took to the consumer court.

The court’s decision, issued on October 4, 2023, deemed the charge unjust, obligating Ikea to refund the Rs 20 and provide compensation to Bohra for her ordeal.

Sangeetha Bohra, a resident of Jogupalya, was astounded when she discovered the Rs 20 charge for the Ikea-branded carrier bag after making a purchase of Rs 2,428 at the Ikea store in Nagasandra on October 6, 2022. She argued that this practice was a clear violation of fair trade principles, particularly since the bags prominently featured the company’s logo.

Furthermore, Bohra contended that she had not been informed of this additional charge before making her purchase. However, Ikea’s staff maintained that the fee was non-negotiable, leaving Bohra with no alternative but to comply with the charge.

Dissatisfied with the situation and deeming it unjust, Bohra served Ikea with a legal notice on October 17, 2022. In response, Ikea asserted that charging customers for branded bags was not an unfair practice and declined to issue a refund. Bohra, undeterred, proceeded to file a formal complaint with the Bengaluru Urban first additional district consumer disputes redressal commission in March 2023.

During the court proceedings, Ikea’s legal counsel argued that purchasing bags was not mandatory for customers, and there were no hidden costs associated with the bags. Nevertheless, the court’s judgment on October 4, 2023, dismissed these claims. It stated that the expenses related to making goods deliverable were the responsibility of the seller, meaning that Ikea should bear the cost of the bags.

As a result, the court sided with Sangeetha Bohra and ordered Ikea to refund the Rs 20 charge, pay her Rs 1,000 as compensation for the harassment and mental distress she endured, and reimburse Rs 2,000 for her court-related expenses.

Ikea is given a 30-day deadline to fulfill these obligations. Furthermore, the judge criticized large showrooms and malls in general for similar unfair pricing practices.