A Bengaluru woman has been awarded Rs 1 lakh in compensation after a delivery blunder led to her receiving a non-vegetarian item in her vegan sandwich. The Bengaluru Consumer Commission ruled in favour of Nisha G, a 37-year-old lifelong vegetarian who adopted veganism for ethical reasons. The commission ordered Swiggy and Paris Panini to pay her Rs 1 lakh in compensation for negligence.
The case dates back to July 10, 2024, when Nisha ordered a vegan sandwich from Paris Panini through Swiggy. Upon taking a bite, she discovered prawn pieces in the sandwich, which caused her immense distress and prompted her to perform cleansing rituals.
Nisha visited the Paris Panini outlet the following day, where the manager acknowledged the mistake, explaining it was due to a heavy rush at the time. The restaurant offered to replace the sandwich. However, Nisha declined, saying she felt "humiliated and spiritually violated".
She then pursued legal action against Swiggy and the restaurant. After receiving no response to her legal notice sent on July 20, 2024, Nisha filed a consumer complaint on August 22, 2024, against Swiggy and Paris Panini, citing a deficiency in service and breach of trust. She sought Rs 2 lakh in compensation for the distress caused by finding prawn pieces in her vegan sandwich.
Swiggy defended itself by stating that it was merely a technology platform connecting customers with restaurants, and that the agreement was between the customer and the restaurant. Paris Panini, meanwhile, admitted the mistake, attributing it to an error during peak hours. However, it also claimed that a typical vegan would not have chosen their restaurant since they serve both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.
The Bengaluru Urban District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ruled in favour of Nisha, directing Swiggy and Paris Panini to jointly pay Rs 1 lakh. The breakdown includes Rs 50,000 as compensation, Rs 50,000 for mental agony, Rs 5,000 towards litigation costs, and a refund of Rs 146 with 12 percent annual interest from the date of the order until realisation.
The commission noted, "The act of sending non-vegetarian food to a vegan or a person having certain food restrictions on the basis of religion, culture or health cannot be taken lightly. Such negligence has emotional, religious, and psychological consequences."
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