CHENNAI: There have been many complaints that city-based grocery stores and supermarkets have been selling Aavin milk packets above the Maximum Retail Price (MRP).
The MRP of ‘Nice’ variant of Aavin milk is Rs 20, Delite is Rs 22 and Premium is Rs 30 for half-a-litre but they are being sold at a higher price.
K Maheshwari, a tea seller, said, “Delite packets are sold at Rs 23 in a nearby supermarket, and Premium for Rs 32. In some cases, consumers are unaware that the sellers should not charge anything higher than the MRP.”
When DT Next visited a few grocery shops in Choolaimedu and Nungambakkam, it found that sellers were charging Rs 22 for half-a-litre of Aavin Nice. When asked about the high price they claimed that they buy at MRP rate from dealers, so it’s necessary for them to sell at a higher price.
“Few days ago, I bought a Nice packet for Rs 20. Suddenly, it’s being sold for Rs 22. When I informed Aavin officers, they said that they had no control over intermediaries charging higher and they could only ensure that it doesn’t happen in a franchise or agency,” said T Jayaraman, a resident of T Nagar.
SA Ponnusamy, State President, TN Milk Dealers Employees Welfare Association, elaborated: “The margin Aavin has kept Rs 2/litre of milk, which includes transportation cost and other expenses. The flow of the products in Aavin begins from wholesaler/distributor to dealer and then to retailer. So, the retailer gets the product for the MRP and including their expenses, a minimum of Rs 1 extra should be added by the retailer. While revising the rate, the margin should be made equal to private margin.”