D Mart and Jaggery Manufacturer Fined ₹1 Lakh for Expired Jaggery Sale

In the sector 26 of Gandhinagar, the D Mart store sold expired jaggery with fake stickers, causing harm to the health of consumers. A vigilant customer filed a complaint with the Gandhinagar Consumer Court, providing evidence, including photos of the expired products. In this case, the President of the Consumer Court, Mr. D. T. Soni, has ordered a fine of ₹1 lakh against D Mart and Rosid Industries (the jaggery manufacturer) for their actions.

Pankaj Ahir, residing in Sector 19 of Gandhinagar, had purchased two packs of ‘Healthy Hangar Table Gola Cubes’ for Rs. 130 from the D Mart store located in Sector 26. These packs had different packaging dates, one in January 2022 and the other in December, indicated by five stickers on the packaging. It was mentioned that the cubes needed to be consumed within five months of the packaging date. In this matter, Pankaj Ahir had filed a complaint in the Gandhinagar Consumer Dispute Resolution Forum.

During the proceedings before the Consumer Court, the court noted that both parties had argued that the issue was a mere case of mislabeling. D. T. Soni, the President of the Commission, along with member J. P. Joshi, described the case as a “cock and bull story” that has been fabricated and is unbelievable, as employees cannot label products without instructions or guidance. This emphasized the need for proper labeling and the responsibility of the employer in ensuring the accuracy of product information.

Furthermore, the Consumer Court dismissed the request by D Mart to obtain a laboratory report regarding the food product, emphasizing that consumers should not be burdened with wandering and searching for services and solutions outside the realm of proper customer service. The Consumer Court issued an order for both companies to collectively pay a fine of ₹1 lakh, with 50% of it to be reimbursed to the complainant, along with 9% interest on the ₹130 originally spent.