Cases booked against Ushodhaya Supermarket for manipulating MRP stickers on masks

Hyderabad: The Legal Metrology Department in Hyderabad has booked two cases against Ushodaya Supermarket for tampering MRP on masks. According to the complainant, the Supermarket was masks with stickers of different price tag by erasing the original price on it.

Based on a complaint by consumer activist S. Umesh Kumar against the stores, Legal Metrology officer in Medchal-Malkajgiri district has inspected the premises of Ushodhaya stores in A.S Rao Nagar and Nagaram on August 19, 2020.

During the inspection, two cases were registered against the store for violation of Section 18 of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 R/w Rule 6(2) of the Legal Metrology Enforcement Rules, 2011.

According to Section 18, no person shall manufacture, pack, sell, import, distribute, deliver, offer, expose or possess for sale any pre-packaged commodity unless such package is in such standard quantities or number and bears thereon such declarations and particulars in such manner as may be prescribed. For manipulating MRP, the establishments shall be punished with a fine up to Rs 25,000 for the first offence. It can increase to Rs 50,000 for the second offence and subsequent offences can attract a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh or imprisonment for one year or both.

Mr Srikhande Umesh Kumar, president of an NGO, Know Your Rights Society, told NewsMeter, "Stores are changing MRP stickers on the masks and pasting their stickers to exploit people. They are increasing the rate. MRP can only be fixed by the manufacturer and not by the store/shop owner. Ushodaya Stores at AS Rao Nagar and Nagaram are selling masks by removing original MRP on them and also there are no mandatory details mentioned on the mask covers. In this case, the manufacturer is different and Ushodaya store has pasted their sticker. The legal metrology department should take stringent action against the above mentioned outlets for exploiting people by manipulating MRP on masks. With increase in demand of masks due to Covid-19 pandemic, these establishments are trying to encash the opportunity."