IKEA Ordered to Pay Rs 3,000 to Bengaluru Woman for Charging Her Rs 20 for Carry Bag: Report

Bengaluru, October 23: A court in Bengaluru has ordered international furniture company Ikea to refund Rs 3,000 to a woman after she was charged Rs 20 for a carry bag. Sangeetha Bohra, the woman, filed a case with the consumer court on October 6, 2022, after being charged for the carry bag at the Ikea shop in Nagasandra in Karnataka.

Sangeetha Bohra, a resident of Bengaluru's Jogupalya region, questioned staff of the furniture company after learning that she had been charged Rs 20 for an Ikea-branded carrier bag. Stressed by the extra cost after a Rs 2,428 purchase, Bohra claimed that charging for carry bags is an unfair trading practice, especially when the bags have the brand logo on them. Flipkart Fined Rs 20,000 by Bengaluru Consumer Court for Not Delivering Cellphone to Customer Despite Receiving Payment.

According to the woman, she was not told of the fee prior to making her purchase. The staff, on the other hand, denied and argued that the amount was non-negotiable, giving Bohra little choice but to comply.

On October 17, 2022, Bohra, who felt this practice and the attitude of the company was unfair, served Ikea with a legal notice. In response, Ikea insisted that charging customers for bags bearing their name was not unreasonable, and they refused to give a refund. Bohra was displeased with the response and filed a complaint in March 2023 with the Bengaluru Urban first extra district consumer disputes redressal commission.

In court, Ikea's counsel stated reportedly that consumers were not required to purchase bags and that there were no hidden expenses. However, the ruling, issued on October 4, 2023, dismissed these claims and declared that the expenditures connected with making products deliverable are the seller's obligation. This means that Ikea should bear the cost of the bags, according to the court. McDonald’s Customer Eats Meal Slowly, Gets Fined Rs 10,000 for Violating 90-Minute Parking Time Limit.

The court agreed with Bohra and ordered Ikea to refund the Rs 20, give her Rs 1,000 in damages for harassment and mental anguish, and pay her Rs 2,000 in court fees. The court has reportedly set a 30-day deadline for meeting these responsibilities. In addition, the judge chastised huge showrooms and malls in general for similar discriminatory pricing practices.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 23, 2023 08:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).