A Bandra consumer forum on Thursday ordered Coffee Day Global Ltd to pay Rs 10,000 to two customers who had filed a complaint against it after one of them found a dead cockroach in their cold coffee.
Navi Mumbai residents Prachi Patil and Rameshchandra Kumavat had gone to the coffee chain’s outlet in Phoenix Market City in Kurla and ordered snacks and cold coffee. When they had almost finished the coffee, they found a dead cockroach in it. The duo's complaint said they suffered acidity, shivering and dullness thereafter.
The complaint was filed in January 2018 against Coffee Day Group subsidary. Dissatisfied with the its response when they brought the matter to its notice at the counter and later to its customer care department, they had approached the consumer forum, demanding a compensation of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 10,000 in litigation costs. They had submitted to the forum a photograph of their find, the bill and the emails they had sent to its customer care department.
Coffee Day, in its defence, alleged that it was a false complaint filed for ransom, that the complainants being advocates, were fleecing it, using the law. It alleged that the complainants had themselves brought a dead cockroach and put it in the coffee and raised the point that being Navi Mumbai residents, it was impossible they would come to Kurla for snacks. It also pointed out that the bill mentioned cold tea, while the complaint mentioned cold coffee.
The customers had explained to the forum regarding the discrepancy in the bill that, since the prices were the same for the two items, they had chosen cold coffee over tea.
The forum declared deficiency in service and unfair trade practice on the part of the chain for carelessness with regard to hygiene. It also ordered it to pay Rs 3,000 to the complainants towards litigation costs and pay the amount within 30 days from the order or pay it with interest at seven per cent per annum. It said it could not consider ordering compensation as demanded by the customers, as they had not submitted proof of illness suffered or treatment undergone due to the incident.
