The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued notices to Amazon India for allegedly selling sweets on its platform under the name ‘Shri Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad’, prompting concerns of deceptive trade practices. The action follows a complaint by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) accusing Amazon of misleading consumers by marketing sweets as prasad from the Ayodhya Ram Temple.
Chief Commissioner of the CCPA and Union Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh reviewed the complaint and highlighted that the sale of food products making false representations misleads consumers about the genuine characteristics of the product. This practice could potentially influence consumers to make purchase decisions they may not have otherwise taken if the accurate attributes of the product were disclosed.
The Ministry invoked Rule 4(3) of the Consumer Protection (e-commerce) Rules, 2020, which prohibits e-commerce entities from engaging in unfair trade practices. The term ‘misleading advertisement’ under Section 2(28) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, covers advertisements that falsely describe a product or service or provide false guarantees likely to mislead consumers about the nature, substance, quantity, or quality of the product or service.
In response, the CCPA has requested Amazon to provide a response within seven days, warning of potential action under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, should Amazon fail to comply with the notice.
This development comes amid growing concerns about deceptive trade practices in e-commerce and the need for stricter regulations to protect consumer interests. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for e-commerce platforms and their advertising practices, setting a precedent for ensuring transparency and accuracy in product marketing and representation.
