India Inc asked to advise retailers not to take customers’ mobile numbers without consent

‘Department of Consumer Affairs has taken serious note of this situation’

NEW DELHI: Amid rising complaints, Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh has written to major industry bodies for advising retailers not to take mobile numbers of consumers without their consent at the time of sale of goods or services.

The secretary has recently written a letter to CII, FICCI, Assocham, PHDCCI, Retailers Association of India (RAI) and Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), asking them to advise retailers on this issue.

“I urge upon you to suitably advise the retailers that the mobile number of the consumers should not be taken without their express consent at the time of sale of any goods or services and, providing the same should not be made a mandatory precondition for sale,” Singh said in the letter dated May 26.

The secretary noted that a number of grievances are being registered on the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) about the fact that many retail stores are compelling consumers to submit their mobile numbers before purchasing a product.

In case of denial to provide the mobile number, consumers were in many cases denied their rights under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 by retailers, either declining to sell the product or service and/or also rejecting any refund, exchange etc, the secretary wrote.

“By imposing a mandatory requirement to provide mobile number, consumers are often forced to share their personal information, against their will, after which consumers are often flooded with marketing and promotional messages from retailers, which they did not even opt for at the time of purchasing the product,” Singh said.

The secretary said that the Department of Consumer Affairs has taken serious note of this situation.

“...insisting on mobile number during the sale of a product as a pre-requisite mandatory condition, even when a consumer opts not to provide the same, is a violation of their rights and constitutes unfair trade practice under the Act,” Singh said.