Consumer Court has ordered City Central, a division of Future Lifestyle Fashions Limited (FLFL), to pay a whopping amount as compensation for charging Rs 12 for carry bag. The customer initially refused to pay for the carry bag. But upon the cashier's force, the customer later paid for the carry bag.

Advocate Seepana Rama Rao purchased clothes worth Rs 628.96 from the retailer on 14 July 2019. The cashier charged Rs 12 for the carry bag. Members of the Visakhapatnam District Consumers Commission-I, Rahimunnisa Begum and presiding member Varri Krishna Murthy also asked the retailer to return Rs 12 charged to Mr Seepana Rama Rao.

The petitioner argued that since the bag had the logo of Central, it is not fair for the retail company to charge for the carry bag. And the Commission supported the consumer's plea and ordered the retailer to pay Rs 21,000 as compensation for the mental harassment the customer had to face during his shopping time. And Rs 1,500 for the legal expenses and procedures. 

How this incident came into the limelight?
After paying for the carry bag, the customer questioned the store manager for charging for the bag. Later, Seepana Rama Rao noticed that the carry bag had the retailer's logo printed on both sides. Despite explaining that charging for a carry bag that carries the brand logo is illegal.

As it is used for store advertisement, the store manager shouted at the consumer. The former approached the Consumer Forum seeking his rights and compensation for mental harassment.