A recent judgment by a Consumer Court in Gujarat has brought significant relief to consumers who order from fast food chains KFC and Pizza Hut through the food delivery app Zomato. The court ruled that these restaurants cannot impose additional fees for packaging on their customers. The decision follows a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Rounak Sinha, a 21-year-old law student from Bihar, who noticed the extra charges while placing an order on Zomato.
The court's eight-page judgment emphasized that KFC and Pizza Hut are responsible for covering the costs of packaging and cannot pass these expenses on to consumers. The practice of charging a "restaurant packaging charge" was deemed to be an unfair trade practice.
Sinha's concern over this practice emerged a year ago when he ordered food from Zomato and observed the imposition of packaging fees. Upon noticing that KFC was charging Rs 33 for packaging, he served legal notices to both KFC and Pizza Hut. After receiving no response, he filed a consumer complaint with the district consumer forum in Rajkot, Gujarat.
Sinha argued that the seller must ensure that food is delivered in suitable condition, and consumers should not be burdened with packaging costs. He referred to judgments from the state commission that supported his stance.
Although Sinha's PIL was initially aimed at only a few restaurants, the issue of packaging charges has since become more widespread across various food delivery apps.
The court's ruling not only holds KFC and Pizza Hut accountable for unfair trade practices but also brings attention to Zomato's role. Sinha wrote to Zomato, urging the platform to prevent such deceptive practices among its restaurant partners. He emphasized that these practices undermine fairness and legality in the industry and warned of potential legal action if corrective measures are not taken.
The debate over packaging charges has stirred discussions among consumers. Instances of excessive charges have been shared on social media platforms, raising concerns about transparency and accountability in the food delivery sector.
Source: Link
Picture Source :