NEW DELHI, AUGUST 22: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a ₹5 lakh penalty on e-commerce platform Flipkart for facilitating the sale of toys that did not comply with mandatory Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) requirements.
The action follows a suo motu inquiry initiated by the CCPA into the alleged sale of toys on the platform in violation of the Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020.
The Authority observed that Flipkart could not claim to be merely a neutral intermediary, particularly when the platform used promotional labels such as “Flipkart Assured”, “Best Seller”, “Trending” and “AD” to promote products listed for sale.
According to the CCPA, such labels could create an impression among consumers that the products had undergone verification for quality, safety and reliability.
During the proceedings, the Authority found that non-BIS-compliant toys continued to remain listed on Flipkart despite the platform having knowledge of the alleged violations.
The CCPA has directed Flipkart to take immediate steps to ensure that no non-compliant toys are listed, advertised or offered for sale through its platform.
The company has also been directed to prominently display details of its contact person and grievance officer so that consumers can easily raise complaints and seek redressal.
Flipkart has further been asked to submit a compliance report within 15 days regarding the directions issued by the consumer protection authority.
The CCPA’s action underscores the importance of consumer safety and compliance with mandatory BIS standards, particularly in the case of toys and other products that may directly affect the health and safety of children.(KNC)
