Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission penalises Reliance Retail shopkeeper

A girl falls sick after eating noodles past their expiry date !

Kangra (Himachal Pradesh) – After a minor girl fell ill upon consuming ‘Spicy Korean Instant Noodles’ that were past their expiry date, the Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (CDRC) directed the Reliance Retail outlet to refund the cost of the product, pay ₹20,000 as compensation for the loss suffered, and bear the legal expenses of the complainant. Mr Jugal Kishore had approached the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission against ‘Reliance Smart Point’, alleging that the store had sold him noodles whose expiry date had passed three months earlier.

Reliance denied liability

Reliance Retail argued that there was no medical evidence or laboratory test establishing that the girl’s illness was caused by the noodles. It further contended that the packet was sealed and clearly displayed the expiry date. The customer ought to have checked the expiry date while purchasing the product, the retailer argued.

Consumers are not expected to check the expiry date ! – District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission

In its order, the Commission observed that it is the unavoidable responsibility of the shopkeeper to ensure that no food product past its expiry date is kept in the shop or sold to customers. Consumers cannot be expected to inspect every package from all sides to verify its expiry date while purchasing everyday food items.