Patna: Selling a water bottle carrying a price of Rs 20 for Rs 50 inside a cinema hall has led to a consumer commission ordering Cinepolis and Coca-Cola to pay a total of Rs 85,000 over alleged unfair trade practices.
The Patna consumer dispute redressal commission held that preventing customers from bringing water from outside and compelling them to purchase it inside the cinema hall at a substantially higher price was against consumer interests.
Dispute Dates Back to September 2016
According to the complaint, the incident took place on September 23, 2016, when a consumer visited a Cinepolis theatre in Patna to watch a film.
The cinema hall did not allow outside water bottles. When the consumer purchased water inside, he was charged Rs 50 for a bottle whose stated price was Rs 20.
The consumer subsequently approached the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, challenging the pricing practice.
Commission Orders Rs 25,000 Compensation
After hearing the matter, commission president Prem Ranjan Mishra and member Rajneesh Kumar held Cinepolis and Coca-Cola responsible and determined their total financial liability at Rs 85,000.
The order breaks down the amount as follows:
- Rs 25,000 as compensation to the consumer.
- Rs 10,000 towards litigation expenses.
- Rs 50,000 to be deposited in the State Consumer Welfare Fund.
The order addresses both the consumer’s individual grievance and the wider concern over pricing practices inside cinema halls.
Commission Flags Unfair Trade Practice
The commission observed that consumers should not be forced to purchase a product at an excessive price merely because they are prohibited from bringing the same product from outside.
It held that charging arbitrary and substantially different prices for the same product raises concerns about unfair trade practices and consumer rights.
The commission also directed Cinepolis and Coca-Cola not to sell packaged drinking water or other products above prevailing open-market prices, according to the reported order.
MRP Must Be Clearly Displayed
The commission directed that the maximum retail price (MRP) on bottles must be displayed clearly and legibly.
It also asked the Legal Metrology Department and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs to take necessary action to prevent arbitrary dual pricing of the same product.
The directions seek to improve price transparency and protect consumers from being charged amounts they cannot readily verify.
45-Day Compliance Deadline, 9% Interest Provision
The order provides a 45-day period for compliance. According to the reported details, failure to comply within that period would attract interest at 9% per annum on the stipulated amount.
The case highlights the continuing debate over the prices of food and beverages sold at entertainment venues, where customers may have limited purchasing options.
The commission’s order underscores the importance of transparent pricing and fair treatment of consumers inside cinema halls.
