A Hyderabad Consumer Forum has ruled that cinema theatres cannot charge more than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) on water bottles, and asked INOX multiplex to pay up Rs 5,000, along with another Rs 1,000 to an activist.
This came after a complaint filed by Vijay Gopal, who told the forum that he was not allowed to carry his own water bottle, and charged Rs 50 for one, while he was inside the multiplex. He also told the forum that the MRP of the same water bottle was Rs 20 outside.
The complainant had visited the theatre in June last year, and alleged that malls were 'looting' people by overcharging customers.
According to reports, the forum noted that there cannot be two MRPs for the same water bottle, and asked INOX to discontinue the unfair trade practice.
Additionally, reports suggest that the forum even asked theatre managements to provide free drinking water for its consumers.
"As a competent authority, we direct Inox and all the theatres in the twin cities to provide water at the nearby retail stores or outlets of the cinema hall," TOI quoted the forum as saying.
This came just one month after popular restaurant Shah Ghouse in Hyderabad, was fined Rs 10,000 by the Legal Metrology Department for charging more than the MRP for a soft drink.
The Sarvi Hotel at Banjara Hills in Hyderabad was also fined Rs.20,000 in February, after it charged a customer Rs 40 for bottled water with the MRP of Rs 20.
This is not the first time Vijay Gopal, the complainant in this case, has approached the Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum either.
Last year, he filed a complaint against two movie theatres, Tarakarama Theatre and Venkataramana Theatre at Kachiguda in Hyderabad for selling food products above MRP.
Inox Hyd fonnd guilty, hiked MRP n wtr bttle. All theatrs drctd to stop it imdtly n sply free wtr in Hyd n scbad @ANI_news @hydcitypolice pic.twitter.com/5zUynCj0lt
— VijayGopal (@VijayGopal_) April 22, 2017