Customer approached consumer forum for not getting fair skin, cream company fined Rs 15 lakh

Delhi. Indian multinational company Emami Ltd has been fined Rs 15 lakh for unfair trade practices. This decision has been given by a district consumer forum. The Central Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission was hearing a complaint of unfair trade practices against the company for its product ‘Fair and Handsome’ cream.

A person had accused Emami Ltd that the company’s fairness cream advertisement is deceptive and misleading. The complainant said that he had bought the cream for Rs 79 in 2013, but the product failed to give him the promised result of fair skin. Forum chief Inder Jeet Singh and member Rashmi Bansal passed this order on 9 December. The complainant alleged, “The product was used regularly as per the instructions given on the packaging and label of the product. The cream was used on the face and neck twice a day for rapid glowing fairness, but the skin did not become fairer.

It also said that according to Emami Limited, the complainant was unable to prove that he had used the cream as per the instructions. The forum said that there is nothing on record from which it can be concluded whether the complainant’s skin became fair after using the product or not. During this, it was noted that to get the desired result from a personal care product, many factors like proper use of the product and nutritious diet, exercise, healthy habits and hygienic living conditions are required.

The forum said, “Such strict conditions are not mentioned on the packaging and labeling of the product. Another amendment in the written plea is that the product is for normal young males (not sick people) between the ages of 16-35 years. The packaging also does not elaborate on what the company says is meant by sick person. The forum said that Emami Limited cannot blame the complainant by alleging that the instructions were not followed. The consumer forum said, “The company knew that the instructions were incomplete and non-compliance of other factors would not result in results.”