CCPA Acts Against 41 Restaurants

CCPA initiated suo motu action against 41 restaurants for automatically adding service charges to customers' bills. The authority termed the practice a violation of consumer rights.

The Central Consumer Protection Authority acted on complaints submitted through the National Consumer Helpline and supported by restaurant bills. Under the applicable guidelines, service charge must remain voluntary and cannot be automatically included in a food bill. CCPA stated that default collection amounts to an unfair trade practice under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. Consumers can report such violations through the National Consumer Helpline number 1915.