Higher MRPs: In the realm of air travel, passengers often encounter the frustration of being charged exorbitant prices for packaged food and water onboard flights. Despite regulations and orders discouraging dual Maximum Retail Prices (MRPs) for identical pre-packaged products, the issue persists, with consumers reporting up to 5 to 15 times higher MRPs on certain products. LocalCircles, a consumer-centric platform, delved into this concern, receiving over 22,000 responses in a survey aimed at understanding the prevalence of dual MRPs on flights over the last 12 months.
The Regulatory Landscape:
While the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) has unequivocally stated that dual MRPs are not permissible, the implementation of this rule remains lax due to inadequate enforcement. The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, were amended by the government on June 23, 2017, to ban dual MRPs, effective from January 1, 2018. However, the lack of stringent enforcement has allowed the continuation of this practice, as highlighted by the experiences of airline passengers.
Surveying the Sky: Consumer Insights
Focusing on complaints received from airline passengers, LocalCircles conducted a survey to quantify the prevalence of dual MRPs onboard flights. With over 22,000 responses from consumers across 322 districts in India, the survey shed light on the following key findings:
1. Packaged Food Predicament:
59% of respondents reported purchasing packaged food on flights with a published MRP higher than the market/stores, with 23% experiencing this discrepancy over 10 times in the last 12 months.
2. Soaring Water Prices:
72% of respondents disclosed instances of purchasing bottled water onboard flights at a published MRP higher than the market/stores, with 36% facing this issue over 10 times in the last year.
Consumer Call to Action:
Consumers are advocating for fair pricing and adherence to regulations by airlines. The feedback received indicates that products with similar net contents are being named or branded differently to justify significantly higher MRPs for sales during flights. As this practice not only violates consumer interests but also the law, there is a collective call for stringent enforcement by central and state legal metrology departments.
The survey’s conclusive message is clear: a majority of fliers attest to paying higher MRPs for packaged food and water onboard flights. In the interest of consumer rights, it is imperative that airlines either align the MRPs of products sold in-flight with those available in the market or cease selling such products altogether. LocalCircles intends to present these findings to the Department of Consumer Affairs and the Department of Legal Metrology, urging appropriate corrective actions to ensure fair pricing and consumer protection in air travel.