A Thane Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has asked Big Bazaar and a bakery products manufacturing firm to pay Rs 50,000 in compensation to a Thane-based advocate whose father ate a maggot-infested Italian bread he bought from Big Bazaar and found himself severely ill.
The commission ordered that for six months from the date of its order passed on November 23, Big Bazaar must not sell any bakery products of the company. It also directed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to conduct four surprise inspections at the Kanjurmarg-based firm’s facility for a year’s duration. The authority was also further directed to submit its inspection reports to the commission.
The advocate Dilip Aswani in his complaint said that he had bought four packs of Italian bread from Big Bazaar in High Street Mall, Thane on August 20, 2015, for Rs 65. On reaching home, his father ate some of it and the advocate found there were maggots in the bread.
His complaint stated that had raised his grievance with the bread’s manufacturing firm Pantree Hospitality and Services Pvt. Ltd, but did not get a proper response. He then approached the FSSAI for action against the firm but said that it did not take any action. Hence, he approached the consumer commission with a complaint in February 2018. Before the commission, he produced photographs showing the condition of the bread along with the purchase bill.
The advocate had sought that the consumer commission pass orders to restrict Big Bazaar to sell products of the baking firm. He had made the FSSAI a respondent in his complaint and sought that the Commission directs it to cancel the license of the Kanjurmarg-based bakery-products firm.
The commission passed the order against Big Bazaar as well as the baking firm ex-parte as they did not appear before it, despite receiving a notice. It said in its order that it found both were deficient in service under the Consumer Protection Act for selling maggot-infested bread. It did not find the FSSAI deficient in service. Commission’s President Milind S. Sonawane and member Poonam V. Maharshi said in their order that food products kept for sale to the public have to be safe and it is a very important matter. They added that negligence in that respect cannot be ignored.
“Due to the deficient service of both respondents, definitely the complainant and his father had to undergo mental agony,” it noted and asked both to jointly or separately pay Rs 50,000 to him. It also directed them to pay Rs 5,000 for litigation expenses.
