Bengaluru consumer court fines Tonique liquor store for charging for branded carry bag: Report

The Bengaluru court directed the retailer to pay ₹5,000 in compensation to the customer and an additional ₹1 lakh to the consumer welfare fund.

In a recent ruling, a Bengaluru consumer court has pulled up high-end liquor store Tonique for charging a customer for a branded carry bag, calling the act an “unfair trade practice.” The court directed the retailer to pay ₹5,000 in compensation to the customer and an additional ₹1 lakh to the consumer welfare fund, said a report in The Indian Express

Bengaluru's Tonique liquor store fined for charging a customer for branded bag. (REUTERS)

According to the report, the case stems from a complaint filed by 31-year-old Praveen B, a resident of St Thomas Town, who approached the Bengaluru Urban District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission after being charged ₹14.29 for a carry bag during a purchase on November 23, 2023. Praveen had bought liquor worth ₹1,585, and objected to being billed separately for a paper bag that prominently featured the Tonique logo, outlet information, and branding.

Citing earlier decisions by consumer forums, the complainant argued that charging for branded bags is a form of indirect advertising that places the cost burden unfairly on the customer. He described the charge as both a “deficiency in service” and an example of “unfair trade practice.”

What's Tonique's defence?

Tonique, in its defence, said the customer had multiple options—he could have brought his own bag, carried the bottles by hand, or collected them later. The retailer also maintained that the customer had willingly opted for the store’s bag after being informed about the charge.

However, the Commission found Tonique’s reasoning lacking in merit. It dismissed the store’s stance as “unprofessional and unfair,” noting that customers may not always be in a position to carry their own bags, especially when purchases are unplanned or spontaneous. The Commission emphasised that charging for a bag that simultaneously acts as an advertisement is unethical.

In addition to ordering Tonique to refund the ₹14.29 collected for the bag, the court also directed the store to bear the litigation expenses.