CHENNAI: A city consumer forum has directed Pepsico India Holdings Private Limited and Pepsico India marketing company to provide a compensation of Rs 35,000 to a man after he found a Mentos wrapper inside a Pepsi bottle.
P Sakthivel of Chepauk submitted that on June 23, 2011, he purchased a 200-ml bottle for `9 from a bakery near Egmore and found the wrapper inside. So, he brought it to the notice of the bakery which, in turn, informed the company. The bottle was packed on April 9, 2011, and had six months of expiry, he said. Sakthivel issued a legal notice to the company and also sent the bottle to the Food Analysis Laboratory, Kings Institute Campus, Guindy.
Armed with the lab report which declared the soft drink unfit for consumption, Sakthivel petitioned the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chennai (South), seeking a compensation of `1.20 lakh. The counsel for Pepsico said it was not possible that a wrapper was found inside the sealed bottle since it had been manufactured and marketed after a thorough inspection.
The forum presided over by M Mony and member R Baskarkumaravel said the wrapper was very much visible and the lab report had also called the drink unfit. Hence, compensation must be paid.