The Panchkula District Consumer Forum has imposed a substantial fine on Nik Bakers, a well-known bakery chain with outlets in several North Indian cities. The court has fined them Rs 45,000 and instructed them to refund the cost of the cake with a 9 percent interest rate. Additionally, the court has warned the bakery against repeating such errors in the future and mandated a deposit of Rs. 20,000 in the Poor Patient Welfare Fund (PPWF) of PGI Chandigarh. The complainant, Dr. Anju Ahlawat, a scientist at PGI, purchased a cake from Nik Bakers’ Panchkula store on July 3, 2019, for her son’s birthday celebration. However, after consuming the cake, her son became ill and had to be hospitalized. Medical professionals confirmed that the cake was of poor quality and caused the illness.
Ravindra Singh Sheoran, the father of the affected child, initially contacted Nik Bakers to complain about the cake, but the bakery did not respond. Subsequently, a legal case was filed, and on September 29, the court ruled that the bakery had provided substandard quality and service. Dr. Anju Ahlawat sees this ruling as a victory for all consumers who purchase expensive food items with the expectation of good quality but end up in the hospital due to food poisoning. The complainant’s lawyer, Advocate Sanjay Kumar, emphasized the importance of reporting service deficiencies or poor-quality food to the appropriate authorities. He stated that the law exists to protect all consumers, and even prominent brands like Nik Bakers cannot escape consequences for using subpar ingredients in their food products.
