After hearing Subway's response, New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum President Arun Kumar Arya directed the company to pay Rs 9,000 as litigation cost to the complainant, who was charged around Rs 100 for a carry bag while placing an order from the restaurant through online food delivery platform Swiggy.
A few months back, a Chandigarh Consumer Commission ordered a footwear company to pay Rs 9,000 fine for charging Rs 3 from a customer for a paper bag to carry the shoebox.
The Delhi district consumer forum was hearing a petition filed by advocate Krishna Kumar Sharma who also cited the order of the Chandigarh consumer commission directing a footwear company to provide free carry bags to all customers who purchase articles from its shop and stop unfair trade practice of charging for carry bags.
Sharma requested the commission to direct Swiggy and Subway to change the policy of illicit charges, which they have been exacting from customers through coercion.
Sharma told the forum that one of his clients had placed an order from Subway through Swiggy and was charged around Rs 100 in the name of bag fee. But the bag received by the complainant would not cost more than Rs 3-5, he added.
The advocate said Swiggy failed to give a satisfactory reply to the queries of his client and told him to contact its customer care. Swiggy, in its response through the customer care service, told the complainant the charges levied on the bag were as per their policy.
The advocate said the illicit charges of Swiggy and Subway had caused the complainant loss and injury.
( With inputs from IANS )