New Delhi: Those weight loss clinics and clubs that  make tall claims and dupe customers had better watch out!  A district consumer forum here has asked a city-based health club to refund over Rs 77,000 and compensate a man for adopting “unfair trade practice” by promising to reduce his body weight by 10 kg within a month (Dec 28).

The man found that at the end of the period , he had lost only 100 grams!

In addition to the refund, there was more! The erring club has  to cough up over a lakh of rupees. The forum also directed the East Delhi body clinic to pay Rs 25,000 as compensation to Janak Puri-resident Vinod Sharma, who allegedly lost only 100 grams, for mental and physical pain, agony and suffering.

“The OP (health clinic) is directed to pay Rs 77,500, cost of body reduction treatment, and a compensation of Rs 25,000 for mental and physical pain, agony, suffering and litigation expenses,” the forum said.

According to the complaint, Sharma, weighing 93.5 kg, had visited the body clinic on February 17, 2013. He had claimed that the employees promised him 10 kg weight loss within a month, for which he paid Rs 77,500. However, after a month, his body weight had reduced only by 100 grams, it said.

“The OP (clinic) has charged Rs 77,500 from complainant (Sharma) for weight reduction programme for one month from February 17, 2013 to March 15, 2013 but there was no weight reduction of the complainant. Therefore, the OP has adopted unfair trade practice,” the forum observed.

Denying the allegations, the health club claimed it had never promised to reduce the weight by 10 kgs within a month. The consumer court thought differently.

  consumer, naked truth