When booking a hotel, we prefer doing a thorough check if the place is nice to stay at. Similarly, we have had different experiences— some good and some bad. Recently, Anaita Shroff Adajania, who is a fashion stylist and expert, called out a hotel for overcharging chocolate!
Anaita Shroff Adajania Calls Out A Hotel For Overcharging
Anaita Shroff Adajania is a fashion stylist and creative director. She was staying at a hotel where she experienced the pricing system of the hotel. She had ordered a Snickers bar which is technically ₹42-₹50. However, she was charged ₹480, which is more expensive than the MRP (maximum retail price). She sarcastically asked the hotel if it was looking out for guests’ sugar intake.
A manufacturer determines the maximum price at which a product can be sold, and this number is known as the maximum retail price or MRP. In addition to the profit margins of wholesalers and retailers, this also takes into account the cost of production, transportation, and any necessary taxes. All packaged goods are required to have an MRP. Although shops are not allowed to sell for more than the MRP, they are free to offer products at a lower price.
However, problems start to appear when someone tries to charge you more than the price. A store owner or grocery store may try to charge you a little more if they have to refrigerate a bottle of cold beverage on a hot day or if they have to pay more for transportation to difficult-to-reach locations.
Also Read: From Matsya To Vamana, This Boutique Art Hotel In Maharashtra Has Vishnu-Themed Rooms
Even while you might be tempted to spend a little bit more, remember that it is against the law to charge more than the MRP. However, there is one situation in which the MRP regulations are not enforced. A Supreme Court bench said in 2017 that restaurants and lodging facilities may charge more for packaged meals and bottled water than the MRP.
Hotels & Restaurants Are Exempted From Restrictions
You have to see this to believe it. Who said fruit wasn’t harmful to your existence? Ask the wonderful folks at @JWMarriottChd #goingbananas #howtogetfitandgobroke #potassiumforkings pic.twitter.com/SNJvecHvZB
— Rahul Bose (@RahulBose1) July 22, 2019
This was justified by the fact that, unlike a store, the restaurant or hotel in question would be offering the patron not just a basic purchase but also extra amenities like atmosphere and silverware.
The bench determined that hotels and restaurants are exempt from the law’s restrictions and cannot be penalised for selling goods for more than the MRP. This came after the government submitted an affidavit in 2015 declaring that it was illegal to overcharge for pre-packaged goods and that allowing the practice could aid in tax evasion for businesses such as hotels.
Rahul Bose, an actor, also experienced the overpricing system of hotels. He shared a video where he showed the bill and fruits where he was charged over ₹500 for just two bananas. After Rahul Bose’s banana conundrum, music director Shekhar Ravjianii was charged ₹1,672 by Hyatt Regency, Ahmedabad, for three boiled eggs.
Rs. 1672 for 3 egg whites???
That was an Eggxorbitant meal 🤯 pic.twitter.com/YJwHlBVoiR— SHEYKHAR (@ShekharRavjiani) November 14, 2019
Similar to Shekhar, author-photographer Karik Dhar posted a snapshot of his bill in August after discovering that he had to pay ₹1,700 for two boiled eggs at the Four Seasons Hotel in Mumbai.
Also Read: Relish Scrumptious Breakfast At Just ₹1 At Any ibis Hotel; Here’s How
Comment below and share your thoughts about a hotel overcharging for MRP products.
Cover Image Courtesy: Anaita Shroff Adajania/ Instagram
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