Shopping bag levy before SC

Wasantha Ramanayake

The Supreme Court decided to fully hear the rights application against the charging prices for polythene bags (shopping bags) at Supermarkets, yesterday.

The Bench comprised Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva PC with Justices Shiranee Thilakawardane and K. Sri Pavan.

Counsel Sudath Jayasundara submitted that a Supermarket in Matara is charging various prices according to the sizes of the shoppping bags given to the customers. He submitted that those bags were earlier given free and certain other super markets too are charging prices for bags.

The counsel submitted that this is a added burden on the consumers who are already hit by escalating prices of the commodities.

Petitioner Liyanagamage Ariyapala of Kottegoda, Matara complained to the court that consumers' rights are violated by the action of the supermarkets and sought a declaration to that effect and a directive to the Consumer Protection Authority (CAA) to formulate a guideline on the dispensing of such bags at Supermarkets as well as at other retail outlets.

The petitioner cited CAA Chairman Rummy Marzook, the CAA, the Environment Minister, Central Environment Authority (CEA), its Chairman and the Attorney General as respondents. The case to be supported for an interim relief on October 06.