Bought 4 kg onions but ‘scale showed just 3.5 kg’, Punjab man wins Rs 20,000 payout

Weighed on store’s machine

The complainant stated that he had visited the supermarket in April and purchased goods worth Rs 3,299. He availed of an offer under which customers shopping for more than Rs 999 could buy onions at Rs 9 per kg.

He purchased two packets described as weighing 2 kg each and paid Rs 36 for the onions. However, when he allegedly weighed the packets on the store’s weighing machine, one weighed 1.788 kg and the other 1.784 kg. Together, the packets weighed approximately 3.574 kg instead of the promised 4 kg.

Alleging unfair trade practice, the complainant moved the consumer commission seeking a refund and compensation.

‘No visible discrepancy’

The opposite parties admitted that the complainant had purchased the onion packets but argued that there was no visible discrepancy in the pre-packed onions when they were sold. The companies said that after receiving his online complaint, the store contacted him and asked him to bring the product back so that its weight could be verified. The complainant, however, did not visit the store again and instead pursued the consumer complaint.

The commission noted that the weighing was carried out in the store in the presence of its staff and the complainant had also recorded the process on video, which was produced before the commission. It observed that no responsible person at the store made any efforts to resolve the grievance of the complainant on the spot.

The commission thus directed the supermarket and its parent company to, jointly and severally, pay Rs 20,000 to the complainant as compensation and litigation expenses within one month of receiving the order.

Takeaway

The case highlights that retailers must ensure that pre-packed goods carry the correct quantity and promptly address complaints when consumers point out discrepancies in weight.

For consumer-related grievances, individuals may contact the consumer helpline in their respective states and union territories (Punjab: 0172-269-3737) or call the National Consumer Helpline at 1915 for assistance.

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