Pune Cafe Faces Complaint Over 'Gas Crisis Charge' On Customer Bills

Even though the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) crisis has eased, some restaurants continue to levy a "Gas Crisis Charge" on customers' bills, raising questions over the justification and legality of the surcharge.

Regarding the issue, activist Prafful Sarda has filed a complaint with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Pune, against Chafa Cafe & Studio, alleging that the restaurant is charging customers an additional "Gas Crisis Charge" on food and beverage bills.

In his complaint to the concerned authorities, Sarda said the cafe has continued to collect the extra charge even though commercial LPG prices have come down. He questioned whether the restaurant had any legal or regulatory approval to collect such a surcharge from customers.

According to the complaint, customers are being charged an additional amount of up to 7 per cent of the food bill. Sarda has asked the authorities to investigate whether the practice is legal and transparent.

He has requested officials to conduct a detailed audit of the restaurant's billing records, invoices and pricing practices for the last six months.

Sarda has also asked the authorities to stop the restaurant from collecting the charge, direct it to refund any money that was collected unlawfully, and take strict action if any violations are found.

Speaking to The Free Press Journal, Sarda said, "I have requested the concerned authorities to investigate this matter on priority. They should conduct an audit of the amount collected under the 'Gas Crisis Charge'. If the collection is found to be illegal, the money should be returned to customers or dealt with as per the law. I have also demanded suspension of the restaurant's licence if rules have been violated."

Calling the charge unfair, he added, "This 'Gas Crisis Charge' is another way to extort money from customers who visit the cafe regularly. People are forced to pay because the amount is already added to the bill."

The complaint has also raised concerns about restaurants adding extra charges under different names without clearly informing customers. Consumer rights experts say businesses can decide the prices of their food, but any additional mandatory charge should be transparent and legally valid.

Narayan Sarkate, Assistant Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, told The Free Press Journal that the 'Gas Crisis Charge' is not permitted. "Regarding the issue, we have informed the concerned department, and appropriate action will be taken soon," he said.