The Central Client Safety Authority (CCPA) imposed Rs. 1 Lakh wonderful on Amazon Vendor Companies Personal Restricted publishing “deceptive commercials” allowing itemizing and sale of commercially produced sweets underneath the false and deceptive label of ‘Shri Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad’.
The CCPA noticed that the phrase “Shri Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad” carries a particular and well-understood which means for Hindu devotees the place it denotes “sacred meals supplied to and blessed by the deity on the Ram Mandir, Ayodhya”.
“The business appropriation of this phrase for abnormal confectionery merchandise, with none authorization from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Belief, constitutes not only a deceptive commerce follow underneath the CP Act however an affront to the spiritual sentiments of crores of shoppers. The Reverse Get together’s platform, by purpose of its scale and attain, lent an inherent imprimatur of legitimacy to such listings within the eyes of a mean shopper amplifying the hurt brought on manifold.The Authority notes with explicit concern the timing of the impugned listings. The merchandise falsely claiming to be ‘Shri Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad’ have been listed on the Reverse Get together’s platform previous to the Pran Pratishtha (consecration) ceremony of the Shri Ram Mandir, Ayodhya, which befell on twenty second January 2024 one of the important and broadly anticipated spiritual occasions in up to date Indian historical past,” the CCPA stated.
The CCPA stated that it had issued a present trigger discover to Amazon on January 19, 2024 three days earlier than the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir temple, on the very peak of spiritual fervour and shopper vulnerability.
It stated that Amazon which is geared up with automated monitoring techniques and devoted vendor compliance infrastructure, can’t contend that it was “unaware” of the heightened sensitivity surrounding any product carrying the identify of the Shri Ram Mandir throughout this era.
It stated that Amazon took down the listings solely after receiving the discover and resorted to its “middleman defence” with out acknowledging any proactive obligation to forestall such listings within the first occasion. It stated that solely after two years and a number of hearings and orders that Amazon proposed a structured due diligence framework.
It stated that Amazon is among the largest e-commerce marketplaces working in India, with an in depth person base spanning a whole lot of hundreds of thousands of shoppers.
“The size and attain of the platform is exactly what amplifies the hurt a misleading itemizing on this platform carries an inherent legitimacy within the eyes of a mean shopper by advantage of the platform’s measurement, visibility, and market dominance,” the CCPA emphasised.
The authority stated that Amazon by internet hosting, displaying, and facilitating the sale of the impugned listings on its platform, was unquestionably a celebration to the publication of deceptive commercials inside the which means of Part 21(4) of the Client Safety Act, 2019.
The CCPA additional famous that the listings have been out there for nationwide supply on one in every of India’s largest e-commerce platforms, accessible to a whole lot of hundreds of thousands of shoppers throughout the nation.
It additional famous that the Gross Merchandise Gross sales generated by one of many merchandiser–M/s Chandu Buying and selling Firm via the listings on Amazon’s platform amounted to Rs. 25,26,309, from which Amazon additionally derived fee/charge earnings via its regular market operations.
It thus directed:
1. Amazon shall make sure that no product falsely claiming to be ‘prasad’, ‘prasadam’, ‘mahaprasad’, ‘bhog’ or any related spiritual providing related to the spiritual establishments and shrines named in Para 27 (v) of the order, is listed, hosted, marketed, exhibited, or supplied on the market on its platform with out verifiable documentary proof of authorization from the involved establishment.
(For context, the framework presently covers 10 main spiritual establishments and shrines together with Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Shri Jagannath Temple, Shri Kedarnath Temple, Shri Badrinath Temple, Shri Somnath Temple, Shri Dwarkadhish Temple and Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple)
2. Amazon shall prominently show full vendor particulars together with the identify, deal with, buyer care quantity, and grievance officer data on its platform in compliance with Rule 5(3)(a) and Rule 5(3)(e) of the E-Commerce Guidelines, 2020.
3. Amazon shall implement and strengthen the due diligence framework proposed vide its communication dated twenty eighth Could 2026, together with keyword-based identification and takedown 18 39. iv. mechanisms, and shall periodically evaluation and develop its protection to incorporate further spiritual establishments and shrines.
“The CCPA hereby imposes a penalty of 1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh solely) on the alternative celebration for publication of deceptive commercials on its platform, in violation of Rule 4(3) and Rule 5(3)(a) of the E-Commerce Guidelines, 2020 learn with Part 2(28) and Part 2(9) of the CP Act, 2019. The Reverse Get together shall deposit the penalty quantity to the ССРА inside 15 days from the date of this Order,” the CCPA stated.
The CCPA additional stated that it reserves liberty to evaluation compliance and the effectiveness of the proposed framework after three to 4 months.
A illustration was made by the Confederation of All India Merchants addressed alleging that Amazon Vendor Companies Personal Restricted which operates the e-commerce platform www.amazon.in, was facilitating and enabling misleading commerce practices by allowing the itemizing and sale of commercially produced sweets underneath the false and deceptive label of ‘Shri Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad’.
It was alleged that the stated merchandise have been being marketed as an unique providing tied to the revered Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir, Ayodhya, with none authorization, affiliation, or endorsement from the temple or the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Belief, thereby exploiting the deeply held spiritual sentiments of devotees and shoppers throughout the nation for business achieve.
Within the matter of : Amazon Vendor Companies Personal Restricted – Sale of sweets on its e-commerce platform underneath the deceptive commercial/declare of being ‘Shri Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad
Look: Advocates Mr. Vivek Ayyagari, Ms. Mythili Girish, Mr. Saikrishna Rajagopal and Mr. Manas Raghuvanshi for Amazon
