Check wrapper before buying: Your ice cream may be carrying ‘hidden costs’

LUCKNOW Ice creams, the sweet treat synonymous with the sweltering summers, may not be as ‘cool’ on your pocket. On any given day, when your loved one asks you to buy an ice cream, pay attention to the MRP, expiry date and other information on the wrapper, failing which you may end up paying more, even for an expired product.

This is a common scenario in many parts of the city including Gomti Riverfront, Indira Nagar, Butler Palace Colony and Rana Pratap Marg, among others. Vendors can be found selling ice creams with either printed details erased from the wrappers using chemicals or scratched off with a sharp object. In some cases, the edge of the wrapper mentioning the price and expiry date is cut off with scissors/removed using ink or even altered using a pen/whitener. This is prevalent on both branded and non-branded products, complain citizens.

Under Provision 18 (2) of the Package Commodity Rules 2011, no retail dealer or another person, including a manufacturer, packer, importer, or wholesale dealer, may sell any commodity in the packed form at a price more than the retail sale price.

In some cases, one can even find an ice cream with negligence in printing from the producer’s end like – ₹zero indicated on it and the stick ice cream being sold for whatever the vendor wishes to charge.

Even the rate list displayed on the ice cream cart can be found tampered with - wherein a ₹35 or 40 ice cream can be shown as ₹50 or 65. While a few vendors agree to provide the product on the MRP, others say they increase the price by ₹5-10 due to various reasons. “Standing for a long time, night charge, amount charged by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation and lower income” are cited as various reasons.

One of the cart owners near Chatori Gali said it is common to sell the products at ₹5-10 above MRP because they are charged by the LMC authorities for standing in the vending zone. “We merely get ₹150 on ice creams worth ₹1000 sold. On top of this, we are asked to pay a charge just to stand in the vending zone. We are bound to increase the prices to run a family,” he said.

However, apart from the prices, the quality of the product is a matter of concern - if it is spoiled by the time supplied to the consumers.

Additional municipal commissioner Lalit Kumar, who is also in-charge of Zone 1, said those selling ice-creams in front of 1090 crossing, are illegally engaging in trade. “It is strictly not allowed for any vendors to stand in front of 1090 crossing. Besides, those selling ice-cream in the vending zones of LMC are required to pay ₹600 per month,” he said.

Sanskriti Pandey, 23, a law student, said she faced an issue related to extra pricing when she went to buy ice cream in Indira Nagar on her way back home from college recently.

“I asked the vendor to pack three particular ice creams and a brick. The total would have been around ₹250 had I purchased these online or from a store. But I was asked to pay ₹300. When I sought clarity, he said he will only sell it on that price,” said Pandey.

“In the financial year 2024-25, the FSDA conducted 250 raids on ice cream factories, wholesalers, stockists and vendors. Of these, two samples failed the safety tests, while seven were let off with warnings and penalties for labelling and printing violations,” said VP Singh, assistant commissioner, Food Safety and Drugs Administration.

While there are seven FSDA registered ice cream factories in the city, 30 unregulated local kulfi makers are under the FSDA’s scanner. “We will conduct stringent checks to ensure that the public receives high-quality and safe ice cream this year,” he added.

According to Singh, the agency continues to monitor the situation and urges consumers to stay vigilant, choose trusted brands, and report any suspicious products to the authorities on Helpline number 18001805533, so that FSDA can act against adulterators.