Consumer Affairs department to implement grading to control hotel food price

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Consumer Affairs Department is all set to enact law to control prices in hotels and other commercial institutions and also to curb over-pricing of food items. The action is followed by Kerala Kaumudi report on Tuesday. The aim is to control commercial stores with more consumers through grading. It will be based on the insfrastructure of the institution. They also plan to set slabs for products and services of different stores based on grading. The Legal Metrology Department and the Food Safety Department will prepare the plan together.

Currently, the hotel owners have the right to decide the price and quantity of food items. The only requirement is to display the price of the items being sold. This loophole is used to increase the price.

"The complaints of consumers regarding over-pricing will be investigated. Hotels that increase their food prices when commodity prices hike must lower their prices when commodity prices fall. But such a method is not being followed.", said G R Anil, Consumer Affairs Minister