Consumer Commission Slams Two Companies for Negligence in Food Quality

The District Consumer Commission has imposed penalties on Ratnadeep Retail Private Limited, located in Sainikpuri, and butter manufacturer Akshayakalpa Farms and Foods Private Limited for the sale of contaminated butter. The commission directed both companies to pay the complainant ₹1 lakh as compensation, another ₹1 lakh as a penalty and ₹10,000 towards legal expenses. It also ordered a refund of the ₹230 she paid for the product. Sandhya, a resident of Kapra, purchased Akshayakalpa Organic Cooking Butter for ₹230 on January 28 last year. After opening the packet at home, she found mould and visible signs of contamination. She complained to the store management but received no satisfactory response, prompting her to approach the manufacturer and the concerned authorities. The commission noted that an inspection by the manufacturer had found that the store was unable to maintain the recommended storage temperature for the product.

The commission directed that butter be stored below 4°C, that closed cooling facilities be provided and that staff receive training in cold-chain management. Ratnadeep argued that it was only the retailer, while Akshayakalpa stated that it had conducted inspections and issued necessary instructions after receiving the complaint. However, the commission concluded that both companies had failed to take adequate precautions to maintain the product’s quality. A bench comprising Hyderabad Forum-II president Vakkanti Narasimha Rao and members P.V.T.R. Jawahar Babu and Vala Sumala also directed officials of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to take appropriate action regarding the sale of contaminated food products.