The HIGHEST price a seller can ask the buyer while selling a product in India is called the Maximum Retail Price or MRP. MRP should always be printed on the product and it includes the production costs, transportation costs, middlemen profit and all the applicable taxes.
And the price is applicable for all the packed products. Although a seller can give a discount on MRP but can’t charge more than the MRP value. Buyers are facing the consequences because of the contradictory results made by different courts with regard to maximum retail price (MRP) of packaged items, particularly bottled water, the consumer affairs ministry has decided to approach the Supreme Court to settle the issue with clubbing all the pending cases and refer them to one bench.
A number of cases are pending in the courts includes Bombay High court, Delhi Court, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan and Kerala besides one before the Supreme Court. The consumer ministry also argued that single MRP norm should be followed in “larger public interest” and to “protect consumers”.
Law Ministry has received a proposal from the consumer ministry regarding the suggestion to club all the pending cases and hearing should be heard by a Supreme Court bench. This ensures the final order and can be passed, which will be binding on all. Judgments by different courts caused the confusion, although the consumer affairs ministry mandates that all manufacturers and sellers of packaged items must follow one MRP norm effective from January 1, 2018.
The thought to challenge the decision has been canceled as this was not the right approach and it’s not possible to keep on appearing before different courts across the country on the same issue. The idea to approach SC for clubbing all cases for hearing finalized after complete analysis.
