Ludhiana: A consumer watchdog has slapped a Rs 10,000 penalty on a Reliance Smart Point store for selling a packet of expired instant poha worth just Rs 10.The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Ludhiana has ruled that the retail giant, a subsidiary of a large group, engaged in “unfair trade practices” and “deficient service” by selling food past its use-by date. The complainant, Naveneet Singh, purchased the 50-g packet of Masti Oye Instant Poha from the Atam Park outlet on Aug 23, 2025. Upon returning home, he discovered the product’s expiry date was listed as Aug 10 — nearly two weeks prior to the sale.
Despite sending a formal legal notice shortly after the purchase, he received no response from the retailer, prompting him to file a consumer complaint. The commission, which proceeded with the case ex-parte after group representatives failed to appear in court, found that the sale of expired food posed a “serious health risk” and violated the statutory “right to safety” afforded to consumers.The commission stated in its judgment that: “The acts and omissions of the opposite parties have not only resulted in causing monetary loss to the complainant, but he has also suffered mental agony and shock,”. The court ordered the company and its retail point to refund the Rs-10 purchase price within 30 days, pay a Rs-10,000 penalty for mental harassment and litigation costs, and apply an 8% annual interest rate to the refund if payment is delayed beyond the 30-day window.While the penalty is a fraction of the Rs 2 lakh that Navneet Singh had sought originally, the ruling underscores the strict liability of retailers under India’s Consumer Protection Act and Food Safety standards.Food Safety and Consumer RightsThe commission’s order relied on several key statutes to establish the retailer’s liability:Consumer Protection Act, 2019 [Section 2 (6) (v)] | Defines a complaint as any allegation regarding goods that are hazardous to life and safety being offered for sale in contravention of safety standardsFood Safety and Standards Act, 2006 [Section 3(1)(j)] | Explicitly includes “food” under the legal definition of “goods” subject to consumer rightsLiability [Section 27 (3)(a)] | Specifically holds the seller liable for any article of food sold after its expiry date
