Lok Sabha Question No. 474 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-23
Subject: Unfair Trade Practices
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Prabhakar Reddy Vemireddy

## Government of India

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 474

TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025

## UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES

## 474. SHRI PRABHAKAR REDDY VEMIREDDY:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:

- (a) the manner in which the Government justifies retailers asking buyers to pay money for carry bags and does it not tantamount to unfair trade practice and deficiency in service by retailers;
- (b) whether it is a fact that the National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission ruled that charging money for carry bags is tantamount to unfair trade practice;
- (c) if so, whether any directive issued by the Government to retailers for giving carry bags free of cost; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI B.L.VERMA)

(a) to (d) : Department  of  Consumer  Affairs  is  continuously  working  for  consumer  protection  and empowerment  of  consumers  by  enactment  of  progressive  legislations.  With  a  view  to  modernize  the framework governing the consumer protection in the new era of globalization, technologies, e-commerce markets  etc.  Consumer  Protection  Act,  1986  was  repealed  and  Consumer  Protection  Act,  2019  was enacted.

Salient  features  of  the  new  Consumer  Protection  Act,  2019  are  establishment  of  a  Central Consumer  Protection  Authority(CCPA);  simplification  of  the  adjudication  process  in  the  Consumer Commissions such as enhancing pecuniary  jurisdiction  of  the  Consumer  Commissions,  online  filing  of complaint  from  the  Consumer  Commission  having  jurisdiction  over  the  place  of  work/residence  of  the consumer irrespective of the place of transaction, videoconferencing for hearing, deemed admissibility of complaints if admissibility is  not  decided  within  21  days  of  filing;  provision  of  product  liability;  penal provisions  for  manufacture/sale  of  adulterated  products/spurious  goods;  provision  for  making  rules  for prevention of unfair trade practice in e-commerce and direct selling.

Section 2 (47) of the Consumer Protection Act defines "unfair trade practice" as a trade practice which,  for  the  purpose  of  promoting  the  sale,  use  or  supply  of  any  goods  or  for  the  provision  of  any service, adopts any unfair method or unfair or deceptive practice.

Under  the  provisions  of  the  Consumer  Protection  Act,  2019,  the  Central  Consumer  Protection Authority  (CCPA)  which  is  an  executive  agency,  came  into  existence  on  24.07.2020.  It  is  designed  to intervene, to prevent consumer detriment arising from unfair trade practices and to initiate class action(s), including the enforcement of recalls, refunds and return of products. Its core mandate is to prevent and regulate false or misleading advertisements which are prejudicial to the public interest.

National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission vide its order dated 27.11.2024 in Revision Petition No.1715 of 2019 and 774 of 2020 ruled that charging money for carry bags is tantamount to unfair trade practice under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

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