One biscuit less in pack, consumer forum in TN directs ITC to pay Rs one lakh as compensation
Tiruvallur (TN) (PTI): The district consumer forum here has directed ITC Ltd Food Division to pay a sum of Rs one lakh to a consumer for alleged unfair trade practice after he complained that packets of the corporate's biscuit brand Sunfeast Marie Light had one biscuit lesser than that advertised on the wrapper.
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, in a recent order, also directed the company to "discontinue the selling of the disputed biscuits 'Sunfeast Marie Light' in Batch No.0502C36 with the specific endorsement."
It dismissed the company's submission that the challenge made with regard to weight of biscuits would not apply.
Complainant P Dillibabu of Chennai alleged there were only 15 biscuits inside the packets as against the advertised 16.
"It is argued by the learned counsel for the 1st opposite party (the company) that the product was sold only based on the weight and not on number of biscuits. Such arguments could not be accepted as the wrapper clearly provides the information to the buyers/consumers to purchase the product only based on the number of biscuits. The potential consumer would only see the wrapper to decide the purchase of the product as the product information available on the packing influences the consumer's buying behavior and that the product information available on the wrapper or label plays a significant role in customer satisfaction," the order said.
In the present case, the paramount allegation is only with regard to lesser number of biscuits.
"Thus we answer the point accordingly holding that the 1st opposite party being the manufacturer and marketer had committed unfair trade practice and deficiency in service in misleading the consumers and that the complainant had successfully proved the same by sufficient admissible evidence," it said.
While Dillibabu sought imposing Rs 100 crore fine on the company and the store that sold it and Rs 10 crore as compensation for the alleged act of unfair trade practice and deficiency in service, it said the reliefs sought for by the complainant was exorbitant.
The 2nd opposite party being the shop keeper had no role to play with respect to reduction in the number of biscuits. "Hence, complaint dismissed against him," it said.
The consumer forum subsequently directed that Rs one lakh be given as compensation to Dillibabu by the company and another Rs 10,000 towards litigation expenses to be paid by it to him.
In its defence, ITC submitted that there was no deficiency or defect in the 76-gram biscuit packs of Sunfeast Marie Light in terms of the quantity that the packs were required to maintain under law.
Citing Legal Metrology Rules 2011, it contended that if a pre-packaged commodity has a declared net quantity between 50 gram to 100 gram, then a maximum permissible error in excess or in deficiency of 4.5 gram of the declared quantity was allowed on such items.
As per the rules, a package that has a declared weight of 76 g was permitted to weigh between 71.5 g to 80.5 g, it said.
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First direct US-Venezuela commercial flight in 7 years to land in Caracas
Caracas (Venezuela) (AP): The first direct commercial flight between the United States and Venezuela is scheduled to land on Thursday in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, seven years after the US Department of Homeland Security ordered an indefinite suspension, citing security concerns.
The resumption of a commercial flight between the two countries comes in the wake of the US capture of Nicolás Maduro in a stunning nighttime raid on his residence in Caracas, Venezuela's capital, in early January.
It also comes a month after the US formally reopened its embassy in Caracas following the restoration of full diplomatic relations with the South American country.
Flight AA3599 operated by Envoy Air, a subsidiary of American Airlines, was scheduled to depart from Miami at 10:16 a.m. local time and arrive three hours later in the Venezuelan capital, returning to Florida later in the afternoon.
Earlier, the airline said a second daily flight between Miami and Caracas will start on May 21.
In late January, US President Donald Trump said he informed Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodríguez that he would open up all commercial airspace over Venezuela, allowing Americans to visit.
“American citizens will be very shortly able to go to Venezuela, and they'll be safe there,” Trump said at the time.
The flights mark the resumption of nonstop travel between the US and Venezuela for the first time since diplomatic ties were severed in 2019. For the past seven years, passengers have relied on international airlines and indirect routes through neighbouring Latin American countries.
In January, when the airline announced the resumption of flights it said it would give customers the opportunity to reunite with families and pursue new business opportunities.
American Airlines was the last US airline flying to Venezuela. It suspended flights in 2019 between Miami and Caracas, as well as flights to the oil hub city of Maracaibo. Delta and United Airlines pulled out in 2017 amid a political crisis that forced millions to flee the country.
