Buying beauty products in Mumbai? Look carefully, MRP label might be fake, prices hiked | Mumbai news - Hindustan Times
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Buying beauty products in Mumbai? Look carefully, MRP label might be fake, prices hiked

Hindustan Times | BySadaguru Pandit, Mumbai
Dec 16, 2017 01:20 PM IST

Officials will now investigate how these products are billed and packed, so they can discover violations in the process

The next time you buy an expensive beauty product from a popular spa or salon, inspect the price tag carefully — you may spot irregularities. In a recent series of inspections, government officials found that 28 health and wellness centers were altering prices and exploiting their customers.

In a recent series of inspections, government officials found that 28 health and wellness centres were altering prices and exploiting their customers.(HT File Photo)
In a recent series of inspections, government officials found that 28 health and wellness centres were altering prices and exploiting their customers.(HT File Photo)

Based on detailed investigations following a tip-off, the legal metrology organisation (LMO) has decided to put an end to the issue of overcharging, which violates the Price and Commodities Act, 2011.

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The recent raids have uncovered popular salons and spas’ bid to sell products with undeclared maximum retail price (MRP) labels, manufacturer details, smudged MRP tags or fake MRP stickers.

“This is only a fraction of the violations taking place in this sector,” said Amitabh Gupta, additional director general and controller, LMO.

Gupta said the department has identified the issue of altered price tags.

“Every product, after being imported or manufactured, must enter the market with secured MRP tags bearing information about the manufacturer. We have discovered that MRP labels are either smudged or altered. Some products have no labels at all,” said Gupta.

Officials will now investigate how these products are billed and packed, so they can discover violations in the process.

“We found that salon and spa chains have convinced manufacturers to let them distribute the products without securing the mandatory labels. This enables retailers and wholesalers to alter the price tags,” said an officer.

Gupta said the irregularities were resulting in the government losing taxes.

Naeem Khan from Dadar-based Finesse Beauty Salon and Spa, which is among the violators for sticking false MRP labels on the original packaging, said the distributor had sent them products without labels. “We are not overcharging,” said Khan.

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