American e-commerce giant Amazon has come under fire for delisting sweets marketed as ‘Shri Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad’ after the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) sought a response from the company within seven days. The CCPA notice listed four products – “Raghupati Ghee Ladoo”, “Khoya Khobi Ladoo,” “Ghee Bundi Ladoo,” and “Desi Cow Milk Peda,” which were found to violate consumer protection and advertising rules. In response, Amazon stated, “We have received a communication from the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) regarding misleading product claims by certain seller(s) and investigating them for violations.” The company also mentioned that they are taking appropriate action against such listings as per their policies.
It is important to note that Amazon.in is a third-party marketplace, meaning it does not list or sell products directly. Sellers enlist products on the platform for a fee and sell them in compliance with applicable Indian laws as well as Amazon’s own policies. The CCPA is headed by chief commissioner Rohit Kumar Singh, who has sought a response from Amazon within a week. If Amazon fails to respond, they will be liable for action under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
The Consumer Protection Act of 2019 has a clause against misleading advertisements, which states that any advertisement that falsely describes a product or service or gives a false guarantee, leading to misleading consumers, is unacceptable. In this case, the sweets marketed under the name of ‘Shri Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad’ were found to be in violation of this clause.
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has also raised concerns over Amazon’s practices, alleging that the company is engaging in deceptive trade practices by selling sweets under the guise of ‘Shri Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad’. This has sparked a debate on the ethical practices of e-commerce platforms and the responsibility they hold in ensuring fair and honest business dealings. Some believe that Amazon should be held accountable for the products listed on its platform, while others argue that the sellers themselves are responsible for the claims made about their products. The issue has raised important questions about the accountability of e-commerce platforms and the need for stricter regulations to prevent misleading advertising.