HYDERABAD: It’S a familiar story. You go to a shopping mall, buy something eye-catching from a popular brand on a whim, and since you did not bring a bag with you, end up paying additional money for a carry bag. But here’s the conundrum: now that you have unwittingly ended up advertising the brand by carrying around a bag with an extra-large display of its logo, should you have paid for it in the first place?
The State consumer helpline seems to think otherwise.
The Shoppers Stop, located in Begumpet, was rapped by the State consumer helpline for selling carry bags with the logo and colours associated with the brand. Based on a complaint raised by one Srikanth, a resident from Uppal, the consumer helpline issued notices to the shop, to explain as to why it was charging money for bags with its logo on it.
The complainant held that it was anti-consumer to pay Rs 5 and get a handbag that has a logo of the company. Taking cognisance of the ill-intended marketing strategy, the State consumer helpline held that the management of the firm was not right in its action. As per a release by the consumer helpline, the Shoppers Stop have been directed to refrain from such practices, while directing them to pay a fine of Rs 7,000.