Many companies have from time to time free-gift schemes of promotion of their new and/or unpopular products with popular products. But many-a-times, consumers do not take notice about promotional gift as printed on pack of main sold product thereby giving advantage to retailers by keeping free gifts with them without giving to consumers.
Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs should direct that free gifts may be packed inside the main marketed product as far as possible. In case a smaller pack of the marketed product is given as free gift, size of the marketed packed-product should be increased with a mention of ‘extra quantity’ on the pack itself. However in case product given as free gift with marketed product may not be practically packed inside the marketed product (like rice given free with cooking oil), then product given free should be attached with marketed product through some proper transparent plastic shield clearly mentioning about free gift on the marketed product and free gift.
Presently manufacturers deliberately leave a big gap between printed Maximum Retail Price (MRP) or list-price and actual ex-factory price of commodities mainly to be used as bribe for purchase-officers in offices including those in government and public-sector. Many a times, actual ex-factory price is just one fourth of printed Maximum Retail Price (MRP) or list price. Examples are generic medicines meant for making available drugs at prices much cheaper to branded medicines, which are available in wholesale market at just one-fourth of printed MRP. To overcome such bribes for purchase-officers and extra heavy margin to retailers especially in remote areas, Union government should impose excise-duty on basis of printed Maximum Retail Price (MRP) or list price rather than ex-factory price. Even presently such a system is prevailing for some selected commodities only, which should be compulsorily extended for all commodities in general.
SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL