Is it Legal to Charge More Than the MRP for Packaged Products?

No, it is illegal to charge more than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) for packaged products in India. As per Section 18(2)(i) of Legal Metrology Act, 2009, and Rule 18(2) of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, retailers must not sell any packaged product above the declared MRP.

Violations can attract penalties under Section 36(1) of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, including fines or imprisonment, as clarified in Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Association of India v. Union of India (2017).

The Delhi High Court clarified that MRP overcharging is punishable unless the product is sold with additional services, such as in hotels or cinemas. 

For example, when a water bottle is served in a restaurant or delivered in a hotel room, the cost may include not just the product but also the service component.