Amazon gets a notice from the Central Government for indulging in "deceptive trade practices" over the sale of sweets branded as 'Shri Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad'

The Central government has served a notice to Amazon, alleging the e-commerce giant of participating in "deceptive trade practices" concerning the sale of sweets branded as 'Shri Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad.'

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), led by Chief Commissioner Rohit Kumar Singh, has taken action in response to a complaint lodged by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT). The complaint alleges that Amazon is involved in “deceptive trade practices" related to the sale of sweets marketed as 'Shri Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad.' “Pursuant to the examination of the representation, it has been observed that various sweets/food products are available for sale on Amazon e-commerce platform (www.amazon.in) claiming it to be “Shri Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad”,” reads a release issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.

The products on Amazon's platform include items such as 'Sri Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad - Raghupati Ghee Ladoo,' 'Ayodhya Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad,' 'Khoya Khobi Ladoo,' 'Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad - Desi Cow Milk Peda,' and more. The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has expressed concern, stating that these practices deceive consumers by providing inaccurate information about the true attributes of the products, thereby influencing their purchasing decisions.

"Enabling the sale of food products online that make false representations misleads consumers regarding the genuine characteristics of the product. Such practice falsely influences consumers to make purchase decisions they might not have otherwise taken, had the accurate attributes of the product been mentioned," said the CCPA in a statement.

CCPA has formally sought a response from Amazon within a week. Failure to provide a satisfactory response within the stipulated timeframe may lead to the initiation of necessary actions against the e-commerce giant under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act of 2019.​