PepsiCo authorised store fined Rs 1.10 lakh for fungus in sports drink bottle; Reliance Communications fined Rs 15,000 over broadband connection dispute

A man who had bought a sports drink bottle from an authorised store of PepsiCo in 2021 found fungus inside it. In the second case, despite making payment to Reliance Communications in 2016, a man was not provided broadband connection.

Lucknow:The consumer court has imposed a fine of Rs 1.10 lakh on PepsiCo's authorised store for selling a sports drink bottle containing fungus while in a separate case, Rs 15,000 has been slapped on Reliance Communications for not providing a broadband connection despite payment.

Pepsico's authorised store in Noida has been accused of not only ignoring the complaint but denying a bill to the consumer. The consumer, Bharat, a resident of Arjunganj, told the consumer forum that he bought a sports drink bottle from 'Gatorade', the authorised store of PepsiCo in Noida on March 22, 2021. Due to the Covid restrictions at that time, it was told that the bill would be sent on WhatsApp.

"After opening the bottle at home, I found fungus inside it and complained to the store. But the store not only heard my complaint but refused to provide me any bill. Despite sending repeated notices, no reply was received at my end. When the sports drink sample was tested in the lab located in Aliganj, it was confirmed that the drink was contaminated. Based on the test report, a complaint was lodged in the consumer forum," the complainant said.

During the hearing, Consumer Forum II chairman Amarjeet Tripathi and member Pratibha Singh said that as per the order issued on October 20, 2023, the consumer will have to be provided a compensation of Rs 1.10 lakh. The forum also stated that if the fine is not paid on time then the consumer will have to be paid an interest at the rate of nine percent per annum along with the fine.

In another case, Consumer Forum II president Amarjeet Tripathi and Pratibha Singh also slapped a fine amounting to Rs 15,000 on Reliance Communications for not providing broadband connection despite the payment. The complainant, Surendra Vikram Singh, resident of LDA Colony in Kanpur Road said that on March 28, 2016, he had applied for broadband connection by paying Rs 1491 to Reliance Communications. However, despite giving the full payment, he was not given the broadband connection. Although he made repeated complaints, he was not heard.

Considering the negligence of the company, the forum on October 5 imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 and also asked the company to pay an interest of nine percent per annum from the date of filing the complaint. The money has been charged for the complainant's mental harassment and litigation expenses.