The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) recently, penalized e-commerce businesses Snapdeal and Paytm Mall for selling low quality pressure cookers and has made them recall all sold products and provide reimbursement for the customers who purchased it.
In addition, they have been fined Rs. 1 lakh each for their actions.
The public authority, realised that both Paytm Mall and Snapdeal have sold multiple pressure cookers that are not in compliance with the Bureau of Indian Standards nor the Domestic Pressure Cooker standards as of two years ago.
The producers in question who have been producing inferior products are Pristine and Quba. The ISI stamp of approval was distinctly missing from their products which means they should not have even been listed on the e-commerce sites in the first place.
The Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade contacted the e-commerce businesses multiple times about their sales of substandard and illegal products. But at the end, they were issued the penalty after providing a just notice and even conducting a hearing.
Snapdeal did argue that they are merely a tech firm and is not responsible for any third-party actions or information that goes on in their website. This comes after they obliged and removed the products and blocked producers, Sarnash Enterprises and Shri Paras Sales from their website.
The CCPA, were however, firm on their complaints and punishments by saying that, ultimately Snapdeal does profit out of the sale of products on their website. As the firms do acquire monetary value from these transactions, they should responsible for the actions and listings on their website.
Snapdeal said that the safety and wellbeing of their customers are of paramount importance and the seventy-three people who had purchase the pressure cookers were identified and will be provide a replacement product which complies with the BIS and ISI standards.
Paytm Mall, however took full responsibility and removed all products and blocked the sellers who did not comply with regulations. At the same time, they argued that they were not familiar with the specifics of the of the standard regulations that were set by the government. They also said they are just a medium for manufacturers and sellers to come in contact with the buyers. The consumer court has said that both companies should inform the people who purchased the cookers within the next 45 days and should initiate a reimbursement or replacement at the earliest.
