Noticed ‘LPG charge’ on your restaurant bill? Govt says it’s illegal; here's what you should do

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) on Wednesday directed hotels and restaurants to stop adding “LPG charges” or similar fuel-related costs to customer bills, terming it an unfair trade practice under the law.

The advisory follows consumer complaints and media reports that eateries were routinely adding charges labelled as “gas surcharge”, “fuel cost recovery” or “gas crisis charge” over and above menu prices and applicable taxes.

The CCPA said such costs are part of a business’s operational expenses and must be built into menu pricing, not passed on as separate, mandatory charges.

“Recovery of such costs through separate, mandatory charges imposed on consumers amounts to unfair trade practice under Section 2(47) of the [Consumer Protection Act, 2019], as it involves imposition of unjustified costs and lack of transparency,” the authority said.

The CCPA directed that no hotel or restaurant shall add such charges automatically in bills and that menu prices should reflect the final cost, excluding only applicable taxes.

It also cautioned businesses against misleading consumers or compelling them to pay charges that are neither part of the menu price nor voluntary.

The authority warned that non-compliance could invite action under the Consumer Protection Act.

What should customers do

Consumers who encounter such charges can ask establishments to remove them, or lodge complaints via the National Consumer Helpline, the e-Jagriti portal, or district collector, the CCPA said.

“The CCPA is closely monitoring such practices across the country. Any violation, including the imposition of unfair or unauthorized charges by hotels and restaurants, will be dealt with appropriately, and necessary action shall be taken by the CCPA under the provisions of the Act to safeguard the interests of consumers,” a government release said.

The widening conflict in the Middle East has disrupted fuel supply chains, affecting India’s LPG availability and forcing authorities to prioritise household cooking gas distribution.

A supply crunch of commercial cooking gas has hit hotels, restaurants and other businesses across the country after the government prioritised domestic LPG supply.