GUWAHATI: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission of Nainital recently directed Levi Strauss India Pvt. Ltd. to pay ₹32,799 as compensation to a woman who purchased a defective pair of jeans that led to color bleeding, while additionally causing damage to her bag and skin irritation.
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The ruling was issued with a bench comprising President Ramesh Kumar Jaiswal and members Vijayalakshmi Thapa and Laxman Singh Rawat. The commission found Levi’s guilty of failing to warn customers about potential dye transfer issues and directed the company to compensate the complainant for financial loss and mental distress.
The complainant, Srishti Yadav, had earlier purchased a pair of Levi’s jeans from a store in Haldwani in July 2022 for ₹2,299. The jeans, part of the brand’s Deepika Padukone Collection, were marketed as a premium product.
However, upon wearing them for the first time in September 2022, Yadav noticed that the dye from the jeans transferred onto her Michael Kors bag and her skin, causing irritation. Despite repeated complaints, Levi’s did not offer a satisfactory resolution. The jeans were sent for quality testing in Bangalore, where the company claimed it had passed all standard checks.
Dissatisfied, Yadav approached the Consumer Commission, seeking compensation for her damaged bag, medical treatment, and mental distress.
In its ruling, the commission noted that Levi’s admitted to selling the jeans and acknowledged that some rinse-washed designs could cause color bleeding. The company attempted to justify the defect by citing a disclaimer tag, which was not proven to have been attached at the time of sale.
The commission held that ignoring color bleeding issues was against consumer interests, especially for an international brand like Levi’s. It further noted that Levi’s initial offer to replace the jeans indirectly confirmed the validity of Yadav’s claims.
Thus, the commission directed Levi’s to:
- Refund ₹2,299 to Yadav upon the return of the jeans.
- Pay ₹15,500 (50% of the bag’s market value) as compensation for the damage.
- Award ₹10,000 for mental agony suffered by Yadav.
- Reimburse ₹5,000 for litigation expenses.
Additionally, the commission ruled that if Levi’s fails to comply within 45 days, the company will be liable to pay 8% simple interest per annum on the refund amount from the date the complaint was filed.
