Mumbai’s landmark Khadi Emporium, oldest such shop in country, banned from selling Khadi products, Retail News, ET Retail

The just about 7-many years-old ‘Khadi Emporium’ has been banned for offering phony Khadi products and solutions by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), a statement said on Saturday.

The fee, which is less than the Union Ministry of Micro, Smaller and Medium Enterprises, has adopted a “zero tolerance” plan in opposition to sale of spurious or non-Khadi solutions in latest several years and took the action in opposition to the “oldest Khadi establishment”, the official statement mentioned.

“The action came just after KVIC observed that the stated Khadi Emporium at Dr DN Road was selling non-Khadi merchandise in the guise of genuine Khadi. Throughout schedule inspection, KVIC officers gathered samples from the Emporium that were uncovered to be non-Khadi items,” the assertion stated.

The emporium was recognized in 1954 and sells a slew of Khadi merchandise which include clothing, furniture, toiletries and other handicrafts, for which it has continued to be a favourite with buyers even as non-public labels devoted to the legacy linen brand have proliferated. Simply because of its years-previous existence, the emporium on the Dr D N Road is a landmark in by itself.

The statement mentioned KVIC issued a lawful recognize to Mumbai Khadi & Village Industries Association, which was managing the emporium, for flouting the norms of “Khadi Certificate” and “Khadi Mark Certificate” issued by the Commission.

“With cancellation of the registration, Khadi Emporium ceases to be a authentic Khadi Outlet and is no more time permitted to promote Khadi merchandise from the Emporium,” the assertion claimed.

The KVIC is also thinking about lawful action versus the MKVIA for legal breach of have confidence in and cheating the public at substantial by misusing the believability and attractiveness of manufacturer Khadi, it additional.

MKVIA was entrusted with the operation and management of KVIC in 1954 beneath “strict conditions” that it would sell only real products and solutions but off late, it experienced indulged in unfair trade practices by promoting phony Khadi products, thus dishonest people who had been underneath the impression that this Emporium was becoming run by KVIC, the assertion explained.

As component of its drive, KVIC has so far has issued lawful notices to about 1,200 entities which include a Rs 500-crore damages getting sought from the IPO-sure retail brand name Fabindia for misusing the brand name identify “Khadi” and selling non-Khadi merchandise underneath the name of “Khadi”, which has been challenged in the Bombay Superior Court, the assertion reported.

Last 12 months, KVIC also pressured on the internet shopping portals – Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal – to just take down 140 world-wide-web inbound links that had been marketing non-Khadi products and solutions as “Khadi”.

A number of violators tendered apology and undertook not to use the manufacturer identify “Khadi” in long term, the statement stated, attributing it to KVIC’s steps.