Archive · 29 Sep 2026
Missing ice-cream labels lead to Rs 18,000 consumer award
A man bought nine ice creams for his family.
He said the family became sick after eating them.
The packages did not show when they were made or which batch they belonged to.
These details are required on packaged food.
The consumer commission said leaving them out was against the law.
However, the man did not provide medical papers proving the ice cream caused the illness.
The manufacturer denied doing anything wrong.
The commission still ordered the manufacturer to pay Rs 18,000 because of the missing label information.
An Andhra Pradesh consumer commission ordered an ice-cream manufacturer to pay Rs 18,000.
The consumer bought six butterscotch and three vanilla cones for Rs 260 on December 31, 2023.
The packets lacked mandatory batch numbers and manufacturing dates, violating the Legal Metrology Act.
The consumer alleged illness among family members, but provided no medical records linking it to the ice cream.
The award includes Rs 15,000 for compensation and mental agony and Rs 3,000 in litigation costs.
- Who
- Consumer Chigurupati Trinadh and an unnamed ice-cream manufacturer were involved in the dispute.
- What
- An Andhra Pradesh consumer commission ordered the manufacturer to pay Rs 18,000 over ice creams sold without batch numbers and manufacturing dates.
- When
- The ice creams were purchased on December 31, 2023; the commission issued its order on August 31, with the year not specified in the article.
- Where
- The case was decided by a district consumer commission in Andhra Pradesh.
- Why
- The commission found that the missing mandatory label details violated the Legal Metrology Act and amounted to an unfair trade practice, although the alleged illness was not medically substantiated.
Consumer's case
Manufacturer's defense
Condition of the products
Consumer's case
Trinadh said he and his family fell ill after consuming the ice creams and that a local doctor attributed the symptoms to food poisoning.
Manufacturer's defense
The manufacturer denied the allegations and disputed any deficiency in service.
Product labelling
Consumer's case
Trinadh argued that the packets' missing manufacturing dates and batch numbers amounted to false labelling and an unfair trade practice.
Manufacturer's defense
The manufacturer sought dismissal of the complaint and said it had operated for about 15 years with many distributors and customers and no earlier unfair-trade-practice complaints.
Evidence of illness
Consumer's case
The consumer relied on his account of illness and treatment by a local doctor.
Manufacturer's defense
The commission found that no prescription or other medical documentation was provided to establish that the ice cream caused the illness.
- Total award
- Rs 18,000
- Compensation
- Rs 15,000 for deficiency in service and mental agony
- Litigation costs
- Rs 3,000
- Purchase
- Six butterscotch and three vanilla cone ice creams for Rs 260
- Missing information
- Batch number and manufacturing date
- Consumer's illness claim
- Drowsiness, vomiting and loose motions were alleged, but no medical records were produced
- Damages sought
- Rs 1 lakh for deficiency and false labelling, plus Rs 25,000 for mental agony