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In an unusual turn of events, ITC Limited, one of India’s leading fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies, has been ordered to pay a customer Rs 1 lakh in compensation due to the absence of a single biscuit in a packet of Sunfeast Marie Light biscuits.
The incident began when a Chennai resident named P Dillibabu purchased a packet of Sunfeast Marie Light biscuits, produced by ITC, with the intention of feeding stray dogs. However, upon opening the packet, Dillibabu discovered that despite the wrapper clearly stating that it contained 16 biscuits, there were only 15 biscuits inside.
Dillibabu, understandably perturbed by this apparent shortfall, took the matter up with his local store as well as ITC, seeking an explanation and resolution to the issue. Unfortunately, he did not receive a satisfactory response from either party, as reported by the Times of India.
Left with no alternative, Dillibabu decided to file a formal complaint with a consumer court, highlighting the fact that each biscuit in the packet was priced at 75 paise. In his complaint, he emphasized that ITC manufactures a staggering 50 lakh packets of biscuits daily, implying that the company could potentially be shortchanging consumers by Rs 29 lakh each day.
ITC’s defense rested on the argument that biscuits are typically sold based on weight, not the quantity of individual biscuits. According to the net weight mentioned on each Sunfeast Marie Light packet, it should contain 76 grams of biscuits. However, the court’s investigation revealed that each packet, purportedly containing 16 biscuits, weighed only 74 grams.
Furthermore, ITC cited the Legal Metrology Rules of 2011, which allow for a maximum discrepancy of 4.5 grams in pre-packaged goods. However, the court rejected this explanation, asserting that such exemptions primarily apply to volatile products and do not extend to biscuits, which do not exhibit weight loss over time.
Moreover, ITC’s assertion that biscuits were sold based on weight rather than quantity was undermined by the packaging, which clearly indicated the presence of 16 biscuits.
Consequently, on August 29, the consumer court delivered its verdict, ordering ITC to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh to Dillibabu as compensation for engaging in unfair trade practices. Additionally, the company was instructed to halt the sale of the specific batch of Sunfeast Marie Light biscuits in question.
This case serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and adherence to packaging and labeling standards in the FMCG industry, with even minor discrepancies leading to significant consequences for companies.
Sources By Agencies
