Court orders Swedish furniture retailer IKEA to pay Rs 3,000 for charging customer for paper bag with brand name: Report

Sangeeta Bohra was charged Rs 20 for the paper bag at the Nagasandra branch of IKEA on October 6, 2022.

According to the report, Bohra alleged that the company did not inform her about the additional charge for the bag before the purchase and that charging customers for paper bags was an unfair trade practice

She had bought some items at the Nagasandra branch of IKEA and needed a bag to carry the items.

In 2022, Bohra filed a case with the Consumer Commission, asserting that charging for the paper bag constituted a deficiency of service and unfair trade practice, said the report.

However, IKEA contended that charging customers for paper bags did not amount to unfair trade practice.

The Consumer Commission headed by President B N Arayanappa and Members Jyothi N and Sharavathi S M in their judgment, however, dismissed IKEA's contention.

The court underscored that the State Commission held that expenses incurred in making goods deliverable state shall be borne by the seller, adding that IKEA’s contention raised does not merit acceptance, according to the report.

It also said that consumers could not be expected to carry their own bags. If a consumer wants to buy 15 items from different shops, they cannot be expected to carry 15 bags to shop, it added.

The Bengaluru Court directed the Swedish company to adhere to this directive within 30 days of receiving the order. It directed the company to pay the consumer Rs 20 along with accrued interest, Rs 1,000 for damages, and Rs 2,000 for legal expenses.