Highway Shops Price Gouging: Congress Leader Raises Concern

New Delhi, Jul 24 (PTI) Congress leader Hibi Eden on Wednesday raised concerns over reports of unethical pricing practices by shops situated along isolated highways.

In his written question, the Lok Sabha MP from Ernakulam constituency in Kerala questioned the government about reports that alleged these establishments are taking advantage of travellers, who, due to limited options, are forced to pay inflated prices.

Eden also asked whether there are specific guidelines or regulations to prevent such exploitation and protect consumer rights on these highways.

In his written response, B L Verma, the Minister of State for Food and Consumer Affairs, referenced Rule 18 of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011.

This rule prohibits any retail dealer, including manufacturers, packers, importers, and wholesalers, from selling any commodity in packaged form at a price exceeding its retail sale price, he said.

Verma further highlighted provisions for penalties for selling products above the Maximum Retail Price (MRP).

He informed that grievances related to such practices can be lodged through the Integrated Grievance Redressal Mechanism (INGRAM), which is an IT-enabled central portal accessible via various channels including WhatsApp, SMS, email, and mobile applications like NCH and Umang.