Techie calls out Zomato for selling water bottle at 10 times the original price, company responds

Overcharging has become a popular trend at events and festivals that leaves attendees not only exhausted but also drained of cash. Be it concerts, sports events, or fairs, costs for the most basic amenities such as water, food, and even parking are inflated. This further potential ruins the experience of the visitors and raises ethical issues concerning the practices being employed. Event organizers and vendors cash in on their audience, and those who attend find themselves with no option but to pay such sky high prices for essential items.

A recent incident at an event venue in Bengaluru has brought this issue into limelight, where a techie's post about being overcharged for water bottles went viral. Pallab De took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice his frustration for being overcharged at a concert venue. According to his posthe was charged ₹100 for a water bottle with ₹10 as MRP. De tagged Zomato, in his post, questioning how they could allow such a markup.
“How is Zomato allowed to sell ₹10 water bottles for ₹100 at concert venues where no one is allowed to bring their own bottles?” De asked, attaching a picture of his receipt as proof. His post quickly went viral, drawing attention to the issue of price gouging at events.

In response to the viral post, Zomato stated in the comments section, clarifying their role in the event. “Hi Pallab, we’re sorry for your experience. While we weren’t the event organisers but the ticketing partner, we’ve noted your feedback and will ensure it helps us improve our own events moving forward,” the company wrote.

De also tagged Eva Live, the event organizers, holding them responsible for the overpricing. He shared an image of the water bottle he purchased, clearly showing the MRP of ₹10.

Many social media users supported the techie, and expressed their outrage over such experiences. One user commented, “This is not fancy; this is outright theft, and everyone should raise their voices against these people.” Another suggested legal action, saying, “If the MRP is ₹10, sue them.”

Another commented, “They will change the MRP definition overnight from Maximum to Minimum Retail Price,” joked one user. Others highlighted systemic issues, pointing out that such practices are not uncommon. “They forgot to send the bottle with ₹100 MRP. After SC ruled not to sell above MRP, these guys got into a tie-up with companies to print higher MRP!” wrote another user.

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