On Monday, July 05, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), issued guidelines for restaurants and eateries to stop levying 'by default' service charges on the customer's food bills. The move has been taken to avoid unfair trade practices and infringement of consumer rights concerning imposing service charges in restaurants and cafés.
In a statement on Monday, the Consumers Affairs Ministry stated, "The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued guidelines for preventing unfair trade practices and violation of consumer rights with regard to levying of service charge in hotels and restaurants."
- According to the CCPA rules, restaurants or cafes will not add service charges 'by default' or as a matter of course in the food bill.
- No assortment of service charges will be levied to the consumer by some other name. No restaurants or cafes will compel a consumer to pay the service charges and they should enlighten the customer that the service charge is intentional and discretionary, and it is payable at the customer's will.
- No limitation on entry or arrangement of services in view of collecting the service charges will be forced on consumers.
- Service charges shall not be collected by adding them alongside the food bill and demanding GST on the aggregate sum.
Read More: Covid Updates: India Logs 13,086 Fresh Cases
Customers can register their complaint
The CCPA likewise gave rules on documenting grievances on the off chance that the client finds that the person has been accused of a help expense at any restaurant or cafe.
- In the event that any consumer observes that any restaurant or cafe is asking for service charges in any manner infringing on the rules, he/she might make a solicitation to the concerned place to eliminate the service charge from the bill.
- The consumer can register their complaints against such restaurants or cafes in regard to practicing unfair trade practices on the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), which functions as a substitute query redressal system at the pre-suit level by calling 1915 or through the NCH mobile application.
- The customer can register their complaints against unfair trade practices with the Consumer Commission. The complaint can be registered online through the e-daakhil gateway by visiting www.e-daakhil.nic.in for its fast and viable redressal. Besides, the customer might present an objection to the District Collector of the concerned locale for investigation and ensuing procedure by the CCPA.
- The consumer can also mail their grievances, queries, and complaints to the CCPA by email at com-ccpa@nic.in.