Tag: CCPA

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has prohibited hotels and restaurants from adding extra charges such as LPG fees, gas surcharges, or fuel-related costs to customer bills, calling the practice unfair and misleading.

The authority clarified that customers should only be charged the price displayed on the menu along with applicable taxes. Any additional amount imposed under separate headings, such as fuel recovery or gas charges, will be treated as a violation of consumer protection rules.

The directive follows a rise in complaints from consumers who found unexpected charges added to their bills while dining out. Many establishments were reportedly including fees labeled as “LPG charges” or “fuel surcharge,” increasing the final payable amount without prior transparency.

According to the CCPA, operational expenses like cooking gas, electricity, and other overheads are part of a business’s cost structure. These must already be factored into menu pricing and cannot be passed on to customers as separate line items. The regulator stressed that such practices distort pricing and mislead consumers.

The authority also observed that some restaurants were using alternative names for these charges in an attempt to bypass existing norms, including guidelines around service charges. It made it clear that simply renaming such fees does not make them permissible under the law.

Warning of strict enforcement, the CCPA said it will monitor compliance closely and take action against establishments that continue to impose such charges. Penalties may be applied under provisions of consumer protection law for engaging in unfair trade practices.

Consumers have been encouraged to remain vigilant and check their bills carefully. If any unauthorized charges are found, they can request removal of the fee. In cases where businesses refuse to comply, customers can file complaints through official consumer grievance platforms.

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India’s consumer watchdog has imposed a ₹8 lakh fine on a baby food company for making misleading claims that infants can start crawling as early as three months old. The penalty was issued by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) under rules aimed at stopping deceptive advertising that could mislead caregivers.

The CCPA found that promotional materials from the brand suggested that babies would begin crawling at three months if they consumed its product. This claim was judged to be unrealistic and not supported by scientific evidence. Experts agree that infants typically begin crawling between 6 and 10 months, and presenting an earlier age as a guaranteed outcome could mislead parents and set unhealthy expectations.

In its ruling, the CCPA noted that such claims not only misrepresent child development milestones but also exploit parental concerns about early growth and progress. The regulator said the advertisement content falls under unfair trade practices, which are prohibited under India’s consumer protection laws.

The fine of ₹8 lakh reflects the seriousness with which the regulator viewed the issue, both because it targeted a vulnerable group, infants, and because it could influence purchasing decisions of parents and caregivers. The CCPA has increasingly focused on advertisements that make unsubstantiated health and development claims about children’s products, emphasizing the need for accuracy and responsibility in marketing.

Officials from the CCPA said companies must ensure that all claims about health, growth, and development are backed by credible scientific studies and expert consensus before they are included in marketing. They warned that similar penalties could follow for other companies that make exaggerated or unverified claims in their advertising.

Consumer advocates welcomed the decision, saying it sends a strong message to firms to avoid sensational or exaggerated marketing tactics. They pointed out that parents rely heavily on product information when making decisions about infant nutrition and care, and misleading claims can lead to confusion or poor choices.

The CCPA’s action is part of a broader regulatory push to protect consumers, especially vulnerable groups like children, from deceptive advertising.

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