Your favourite store at the shopping mall might just be duping innocent you.
Several shopkeepers in malls were caught reaffixing price labels with exorbitant rates on a few products, charging anything from Rs.50 to Rs.600 extra in the process.
Besides packaged commodities, they were found brazenly violating norms and charging in excess for bed sheets, towels, sports items, dry fruits, bakery items and baby carry bags. Some shops had not even mentioned rates on imported scotch bottles while selling them at higher prices. Others sold ornaments without separately mentioning the rates of gold and stone along with the making charges. Some were also found using electronic weights without re-stamping from the Legal Metrology department.
Raids
Four special teams carried out raids at malls at Abids, Ameerpet, Kacheguda and Madhapur last month and found managements selling packaged commodities without adhering to norms. Footwear worth over Rs. 20 lakh was seized from one shop, while a bakery was found charging more for fruit cakes. Most shops were found selling goods without mentioning details of the manufacturer, the date of packing, price and customer-care number, among other details.
In all, the department had registered 131 cases against shopkeepers under provisions of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 and Packaged Commodity Rules, 2011, while seizing property worth over Rs.70 lakh. Penalties were also collected from them.
“We request customers to be careful before purchasing products. Check the label thoroughly and then buy the product,” advised Regional Deputy Controller P.S.R.N.T. Swamy.
Special teams would continue to conduct surprise checks at these malls to prevent shopkeepers from indulging in irregularities.
“If anyone would be found committing the same fraud the second time, we will initiate legal action against them,” Mr. Swamy warned.
