New Delhi, 16 February (H.S.): The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) imposed a ₹5 lakh penalty on Monday on e-commerce platform Snapdeal (Ace Vector Limited) for promoting and facilitating the sale of non-BIS compliant toys, constituting unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements in violation of consumer rights.

This action stems from breaches of the Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020—effective January 1, 2021—which mandates BIS certification for all toys sold in India to ensure child safety and quality standards.

Beyond the fine, CCPA Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare directed Snapdeal to rigorously prevent listing or advertising any non-compliant toys henceforth and prominently display contact numbers, email addresses, and grievance officer details for swift consumer redressal.

Khare noted suo motu action against Snapdeal, with notices also issued to peers like Amazon and Flipkart, plus sellers such as Stallion Trading Company and Electronics Bazar Store, underscoring platforms' liability akin to physical malls under evolving 'caveat vendor' norms.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar