Water bottle sold above MRP at temple: Commission orders Rs 7 lakh penalty
A consumer commission in Kakinada ordered a temple shop licensee to pay Rs 7 lakh in penalties for overcharging a customer for a water bottle. The ruling emphasizes the legal obligation of retailers to adhere to Maximum Retail Price (MRP) regulations.
Why it matters
This case serves as a precedent for consumer rights enforcement in India, particularly regarding price gouging in religious or high-traffic public spaces.
NEW DELHI: The Kakinada district consumer commission has ordered a temple shop licensee to pay Rs 7 lakh to the consumer welfare fund for charging Rs 25 for a one-litre water bottle marked at Rs 18. The commission also ordered a refund of Rs 7, Rs 10,000 compensation and Rs 5,000 litigation costs to the consumer. The order was passed on August 28, 2026.Why did the consumer approach the commission?According to the commission order, D Venkateswara Rao visited Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy Temple at Annavaram on February 22, 2026. He bought a one-litre packaged drinking water bottle from a shop run by the temple's licensee.The bottle had an MRP of Rs 18, but the shop charged him Rs 25 through UPI. When Rao questioned the price, the shopkeeper allegedly said he was authorised to sell the bottle above its MRP.
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