A bottle of water for ₹100, a coffee for ₹700? The Supreme Court is strict on the arbitrary pricing of water, coffee, and snacks at multiplexes and cinemas.

Supreme Court: The Supreme Court has taken a tough stand on the arbitrary pricing of water, coffee, and snacks at multiplexes and cinemas. The court stated that selling water for ₹100 and coffee for ₹700 is unfair and is driving away ordinary audiences from cinemas. The court warned that if the prices are not controlled, cinema halls will be empty. The Karnataka government has also taken steps to control ticket and food pricing to make entertainment accessible to the general public.

Supreme Court: Drinking tea, water, and snacks during the interval while watching a movie in a multiplex or cinema can be costly. When you go to the food corner of a multiplex to buy a small tub of popcorn, you have to pay at least ₹500. A bottle of water costs ₹100. Meanwhile, if you're a coffee lover, you have to pay at least ₹700. Moreover, a cold drink sold for ₹50 outside multiplexes or cinemas is sold for ₹400, plus tax, inside cinemas.

According to a Live Law report, the Supreme Court on Monday issued a stern remark regarding the high prices of food and drinks in multiplexes and cinemas across the country. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta stated that cinemas are charging patrons exorbitant prices for basic items like water and coffee, which is completely unfair. The court warned that if this trend continues, people will avoid cinema halls and the halls will become empty.

What is the matter?

The case relates to the Karnataka government's order capping movie ticket prices. The state government had decided to cap the maximum price of tickets in multiplexes at ₹200 so that ordinary patrons could also watch movies. The Multiplex Association of India challenged this decision in the Karnataka High Court, where the court temporarily stayed the government's decision but added some strict conditions. These include auditing tickets sold, keeping records of purchasers, and periodically verifying accounts. A hearing is currently underway in the Supreme Court regarding this decision, which also includes food pricing and additional charges.

Public displeasure over expensive snacks and drinks

Cinema-goers complain that the prices of popcorn, cold drinks, coffee, and water available during the interval are skyrocketing. A bottle of water is being sold for ₹100, coffee for ₹700, a small tub of popcorn for ₹500, and a cold drink for ₹400. These high prices are exorbitant when cinema tickets typically cost ₹400 to ₹1200. The Supreme Court stated that such pricing is arbitrary and detracts from the cinema experience for the average audience.

Making cinema accessible is essential: Supreme Court

During the hearing, Justice Vikram Nath said, "You charge ₹100 for a bottle of water and ₹700 for coffee. Is this reasonable? Rates should be fixed. If this continues, people will stop going to cinema halls." Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the Multiplex Association, argued, "Even the Taj Hotel charges ₹1,000 for coffee. This is a matter of customer choice." Justice Vikram Nath retorted, "Not everyone goes to the Taj Hotel. Even ordinary multiplexes are no longer available. It is essential to fix rates so that people return to cinemas."

Karnataka Government's Position and High Court Order

During the hearing, the Karnataka government stated that this step was taken to curb arbitrary pricing and make entertainment accessible. The government lawyer explained that the purpose of the temporary restrictions imposed by the court is to ensure potential refunds to consumers, such as if a viewer purchased a ticket worth ₹1,000 and the government wins the case, they could get ₹800 back.

Reactions from the industry and the general public

The issue has sparked a significant debate on social media. Mumbai-based business analyst Himesh Mankad wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "Multiplex chains are destroying the common man's cinema-going habit. People are now avoiding theaters due to high prices." Filmmaker Karan Johar also said last year, "The cost of watching a movie for four people has now reached ₹10,000." According to a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) report, the average person spending ₹1,800 to watch a movie at a multiplex has led to a 15% decline in footfall since the pandemic.

Disclaimer: India Employment News does not provide any buying or selling recommendations related to the stock market. We publish market analysis based on market experts and brokerage firms. However, make market decisions only after consulting certified experts.