Disappointed with government’s unprecedented step: Nestle India

New Delhi: A day after the government filed a Rs 640-crore class action suit against Nestle India before consumer redressal forum NCDRC, the company said it is disappointed with the 'unprecedented step'. "We are disappointed with the unprecedented step of filing of a complaint before the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) against Nestle India," the company said in a statement.

Based on newspaper reports it appears that the complaint makes similar allegations which were made to ban the product on June 5, 2015. These issues are awaiting judgment by the Hon'ble Bombay High Court, it added. Yesterday, the Consumer Affairs Ministry had flied a case before the consumer forum NCDRC seeking Rs 284.45 crore in basic damages and another Rs 355.50 crore in punitive damages totalling Rs 639.95 crore from the Swiss giant.

In the petition, the ministry said it is in the process of "tabulating further damages" and will seek additional damages when further facts and data emerges. The company, however, insisted that it maintained "the highest standards of food quality and safety in the manufacture of all its products" and "have a stringent programme to test the ingredients that go to make Maggi noodles". Nestle India further said in recent months, it had tested over 2,700 samples of Maggi noodles by several accredited laboratories both in India and abroad and each one of the tests showed lead to be far below the permissible limits.

"In addition Maggi noodles made in India have been tested and found to be safe for consumption by the authorities of several countries across the world," the company claimed.