India’s Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has warned hotels and restaurants against adding “LPG charges”, “gas surcharge,” and “fuel cost recovery” to customer bills, The Times of India reported.
Acting under provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, the regulator said it has observed that these charges are often added by default.
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The CCPA made it clear that such additional levies should not appear automatically on bills. It stressed that any such imposition could attract “strict action” as it falls within the scope of “unfair trade practice”.
The authority pointed to complaints received through the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), along with media coverage, where some establishments are adding these extra charges above the menu price and statutory taxes for food and beverages.
The advisory reiterated that expenses such as fuel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), electricity and other operational inputs are part of routine business costs. It further clarified that the price shown on the menu should be treated as the final charge for the item, with only applicable taxes added to that amount.
The CCPA underlined that consumers should not be misled or forced to bear any extra amounts that are not optional or transparently disclosed.
In addition, the authority advised diners who notice such charges to first ask the hotel or restaurant to delete them from the bill.
If the issue isn’t resolved, consumers can register complaints by calling the helpline number 1915, through the mobile app, or by approaching the relevant consumer commission through the e-Jagriti online portal.
Notably, India is facing an LPG supply crunch, with many hotel and restaurant groups in major cities reporting a drop in commercial LPG deliveries amid the ongoing Iran conflict.
