Central Consumer Protection Authority Fines Cloudtail India For Selling Substandard Pressure Cookers

Apex consumer protection authority has also directed Cloudtail India to recall and reimburse the prices of 1,033 such pressure cookers sold to consumers, and submit a compliance report in 45 days.

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on online retailer Cloudtail India Pvt Ltd for selling pressure cookers in violation of mandatory BIS standards. Apex consumer protection authority has also directed Cloudtail India to recall and reimburse the prices of 1,033 such pressure cookers sold to consumers, and submit a compliance report in 45 days.

The order against Cloudtail India was passed for violation of consumer rights and unfair trade practices by selling pressure cookers in violation of mandatory standards prescribed as per the Domestic Pressure Cooker (Quality Control) Order, 2020.

The CCPA, headed by senior IAS officer Nidhi Khare, in its order, said, “Violation of standards mandated by the QCOs not only endanger public safety, but can make consumers vulnerable to severe injuries including loss of life. This is a critical cause for concern, especially in case of domestic pressure cooker, which is a household good, present in most homes in the immediate vicinity of family members.”

The CCPA has also initiated suo motu action against e-commerce platforms for selling domestic pressure cookers in violation of compulsory standards on its e-commerce platforms. It had previously issued notices to major e-commerce platforms including Amazon, Flipkart, Paytm Mall, Shopclues and Snapdeal as well as to the sellers registered on these platforms.

As per the CCPA statement, “Cloudtail submitted in its reply to CCPA that after the QCO came into force, it had suspended the import of the pressure cookers.”

“It was observed by CCPA that though import was suspended, the company had not stopped the sale of such pressure cookers to consumers. In fact, this submission evidently indicated that despite being aware of the QCO, the company was still selling such pressure cookers to consumers at large. A total of 1,033 units of pressure cookers not conforming to mandatory standards were sold by Cloudtail through Amazon e-commerce platform after notification of the QCO,” the statement added.

“In the order, CCPA directed Cloudtail to recall the 1,033 units of pressure cookers sold by it and reimburse the prices of the recalled pressure cookers to the consumers and submit a compliance report within 45 days,” the statement said. It also said that the company has to pay a penalty of Rs ₹1,00,000 for selling domestic pressure cookers to consumers in violation of mandatory standards prescribed under the QCO and violating the rights of consumers.

It further said, “CCPA has also issued Safety Notices under Section 18(2)(j) of the Act to alert and caution consumers against buying goods which do not hold valid ISI Mark and violate compulsory BIS standards. While the first Safety Notice was issued with regard to helmets, pressure cookers and cooking gas cylinders, the second Safety Notice was issued with regard to household goods including electric immersion water heaters, sewing machines, microwave ovens, domestic gas stoves with LPG, etc.”