Recently Competition Commission of India imposed a penalty of Rs.18.38 crores on Chemists and Druggists Association of West Bengal and its office bearers for not allowing rebate to the customers on the medicines purchased, treating it as violation of the provisions of the Competition Commission of India Act. The Commission had taken a note of the circular of the Association whereby the retailers were directed not to sell the medicines below the MRP.
We usually do not get any rebate on medicines and other consumable articles. The packing material e.g. polybag, paper envelope, cardboard containers for sweet items, etc. are also weighed along with the items purchased. This is also a wrong practice. In this way the business class cheats the poor customers of all sorts. This needs to be publicised and propagated for the benefits of the general masses. The governments, Central and States, have responsibility to educate the masses and the business class suitably in this regard. Breach of the provisions of the Act and indulging in unfair practices by the traders should not go unpunished in any case so as to safeguard the interests of the customers.
Shafeeq Uddin
Jamalpur, Aligarh