A consumer court in Peshawar has declared the practice of charging customers Rs30 for shopping bags featuring a brand’s logo as illegal and unfair. The ruling came on Thursday following a case filed by a woman who bought clothing from a prominent brand in the city.

The court’s written verdict highlighted that the company had charged the woman Rs30 for a shopping bag displaying its logo. She challenged this fee under the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Consumer Protection Act, arguing that she was compelled to pay for a bag that effectively served as the company’s advertisement.

While the company contended it was not obligated to provide shopping bags free of charge and only supplied them upon request, the court disagreed. It determined that bags bearing a company’s logo function as a form of advertising, and passing the cost of this promotion onto consumers is an unfair commercial practice.

In a significant development, the court ordered the company to reimburse the Rs30 charged for the bag. Additionally, it awarded the woman Rs25,000 in compensation for mental distress and damages. The court also imposed a fine of Rs25,000 on the brand, instructing that the amount be deposited into the government treasury.