'Safety and hygiene fee’: Salon exploits COVID 19 to loot customer in Chennai

Hyderabad: Seemingly exploiting the COVID 19 situation, 'Naturals', a hair and beauty salon with branches across the country has charged a customer Rs 150 as 'safety and hygiene fee’ in Chennai.

The customer has uploaded the bill on twitter wherein he has been levied Rs 150 as 'safety and hygiene fee’. This is in addition to Rs 250 charged for a haircut, and Rs 45 GST.

“Neither the central or state government has announced any such tax or fee. However, we don’t have a particular customer protection law to safeguard the citizens against this looting. It does not come under legal metrology. So far we have not come across any such case in Telangana. In such a situation, customers can approach the consumer forum or inform GHMC,” said Jagan Mohan, Assistant Controller of Legal Metrology Department.

Srikhande Umesh Kumar, Founder of Know Your Rights, said companies are exploiting the ignorance of consumers. “In the coming days, these companies will come out with more ideas to loot customers. It's like hotels fooling customers in the name of service charge. If something of this kind has happened in Chennai city, then Hyderabad is not too far. I would suggest citizens stay vigilant and report such exploitation immediately,” he said.