DistantNews
Support us
🇮🇳 India /Economy & Trade

Kerala inspectors check mall cinemas over food prices

From Hindustan Times · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • Kerala’s Legal Metrology Department inspected cinema theatres in malls after complaints about excessive food prices and discrepancies between displayed and charged prices.
  • Officials are checking price lists, serving quantities and possible overcharging, with findings to be submitted to the state government.
  • Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V V Rajesh also raised concerns about alleged dynamic ticket pricing and high concession prices.

Cinema theatres in malls across Kerala came under inspection on Friday after repeated complaints about the price of food and drinks. Teams from the Legal Metrology Department conducted simultaneous checks, joined by officials from the Civil Supplies and Food Safety departments in Kochi.

We are checking whether the price list for food items is displayed, the quantity of food being provided and whether consumers are being overcharged. The intention is to find out whether consumers are being exploited.

· Legal Metrology Department officialThe official described the purpose of inspections at cinema theatres in malls.

Officials said they were checking whether theatres displayed food prices, supplied the stated quantities and charged customers more than the listed rates. “We are checking whether the price list for food items is displayed, the quantity of food being provided and whether consumers are being overcharged. The intention is to find out whether consumers are being exploited,” a department official told reporters.

The official also pointed to a continuing legal dispute over bottled water. The state government fixed the price of a one-litre bottle at ₹13 in 2019, but the decision was challenged in the Kerala High Court, which stayed its implementation. The issue remains before the court, and the official said a similar problem exists at airports. A report on the inspections will go to the state government, which is expected to issue orders based on the findings.

This is not a new occurrence. It has been happening for years. Even the concerned minister had spoken about it.

· V V RajeshThe Thiruvananthapuram mayor described the complaints about cinema pricing as longstanding.

Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V V Rajesh said complaints about cinema ticket and food prices had been arriving for years. He also linked the issue to alleged dynamic ticket pricing, which can sharply raise costs during peak periods. Rajesh cited a family that allegedly paid ₹6,048.94 online for seven tickets expecting recliner seats, but received seats priced at ₹230 each. He also described a film producer who paid ₹498 for popcorn after buying a ₹250 ticket.

It is being run by the company. If you have any issue, do whatever you can.

· Unidentified company representativeRajesh quoted the response allegedly given to a family that questioned its cinema seating and ticket charge.

Rajesh acknowledged that the city corporation has limited power over cinema ticket and food prices, although local authorities can intervene in other areas. He said the issue had prompted growing public demands for action and argued that excessive prices affect customers regardless of wealth or gender.

What kind of a situation is this where after buying a ticket for ₹250, one has to buy popcorn for ₹500?

· Unnamed film producerRajesh cited the producer’s complaint about the price of cinema concessions.
About this summary

Originally published by Hindustan Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog