Rs 6,000 compensation to customer for not getting free pack of fries

A consumer court directed a store manager to pay Rs 6,000 as compensation for causing mental agony and harassment to a consumer, who was not given a free pack of McCain ‘masala’ fries worth Rs 75 as part of a promotional offer.

In a recent order, the district consumer disputes redressal commission ordered ‘More Quality First Store’ to pay Rs 6,000 to the customer.

The complainant, Kunal Sofat, a resident of Friends Colony, Pakhowal Road, Daad village, purchased a 750gm pack of French fries from the outlet at Model Town on September 14, 2016, and paid Rs 155 for it. At that time, there was a buy-one-get-one offer on the product, along with another offer of a free 375 gm McCain masala French fries worth Rs 75 with it.

However, Kunal did not get the additional free pack of the masala fries during his purchase and moved court alleging deficiency in services and cheating on part of the company as well as the store.

 Kunal said, “If the manufacturer did not supply the free product in the offer to the retailer, the latter should have stopped its sale.”

Finding the claims of the customer to be legitimate, the consumer court ordered the store manager to pay an amount of Rs 6,000 that includes Rs 1,000 on account of deficiency in service by the store, Rs 3,000 for mental harassment and agony and Rs 2,000 as litigation expenses.

In the order, Vinod Gulati, member and GK Dhir, president of the forum, stated that the store rendered deficient services to the complainant because after accepting a full amount of Rs 155, it failed to deliver the free offer pack along with the sold product in question.

Source – HT