A female resident of Bengaluru wins consumer case against Ikea

Consumer court ordered Ikea to pay Rs 3,000 as compensation to her

Ikea India Pvt Ltd was held accountable for unfair trade practices

A female resident of Jogupalya, Bengaluru, took action against multinational furniture retailer Ikea after being charged Rs 20 for a carry bag with the company’s logo. Following her complaint, the consumer court ruled in her favor, awarding her a refund and Rs 3,000 in compensation for the distress caused.

On October 6, 2022, Sangeetha Bohra visited the Ikea store in Nagasandra, where she made purchases totaling Rs 2,428. However, during billing, she was surprised to find a Rs 20 charge for an Ikea-branded carry bag. Despite questioning the staff about the rationale behind this charge, she was compelled to purchase the bag as the staff refused to provide it for free.

Taking her case to the Bengaluru Urban first additional district consumer disputes redressal commission in Shantinagar in March 2023, Bohra accused Ikea India Pvt Ltd of unfair trade practices.

The court’s ruling, delivered on October 4, 2023, emphasized that the seller is responsible for all costs related to making goods deliverable to the customer.

As per the court’s directive, Ikea India Pvt Ltd was instructed to refund the Rs 20 charge for the bag with interest, along with paying Rs 1,000 in compensation to the customer and Rs 2,000 for her court expenses. The company was given a 30-day deadline to settle the payments.