CCPA Fines Amazon Over Fake ‘Shree Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad’ Listing

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has fined Amazon ₹1 Lakh for selling sweets on its marketplace under the misleading label "Shri Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad". The regulator found that the commercial use of the phrase for ordinary confectionery, without authorization from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, constituted a misleading trade practice and affront to religious sentiments.

The complaint was filed by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) alleging that these sweets were being sold by Chandu Trading Company under the Bihar Brothers brand, without permission. The CCPA discovered four such products, including ghee ladoos, khoya khobi ladoos, ghee boondi ladoos, and desi cow milk peda, priced between ₹299 and ₹385.

These items were advertised with religious imagery and claims of blessings from Shree Ram Janam Bhumi Temple, Ayodhya. The regulator also noted that Amazon failed to display seller contact details prominently as required by the E-Commerce Rules, 2020. Amazon removed the listings after receiving a show cause notice from the CCPA, citing its status as an intermediary under safe harbour protection under the IT Act.

However, the authority rejected this defence, emphasizing that Amazon still had consumer protection duties under the E-Commerce Rules. The CCPA further directed Amazon to strengthen its monitoring systems to identify and remove misleading listings related to religious offerings, and to expand this to cover more religious institutions.