Cola Fined for Bottling Tobacco Pouch

Source from:  29 Jan 2008, timesofindia.indiatimes.com CHANDIGARH 01/29/2008

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Fatehgarh Sahib, has fined Coca Cola Rs 15,000 after a tobacco pouch was found in a bottle of the company. "The sale of contaminated Coca Cola, which is dangerous to human consumption is a matter of deficiency of service," the forum said in its order. It further stated that, "The bare perusal of the contents reveals that the bottle contains a pouch of tobacco. Thus the content is dangerous to human consumption and the opposite party is expected to sell good quality of Coca Cola, which is not dangerous to human life." It further said in the order that the fine is being imposed for causing harassment and mental agony to the complainant. The complainant had purchased six bottles of Coca Cola from the retail outlet on May 4, 2004. On reaching home he was shocked to see a pouch of tobacco in one of the bottles. He immediately brought the matter to the notice of the owner of grocery shop who passed the buck on to the local distributor of Coca Cola from whom he gets the supply. When the local distributor could not satisfy the complainant, he lodged his protest regarding contaminated drinks with the president of Coca Cola India and Coca Cola headquarters at Atlanta through telephone calls, e-mails and registered letters. When the matter could not be resolved despite a long correspondence with Coca Cola authorities, he lodged a complaint with consumer court. Enditem