Samsonite denied the benefit of GST reduction to consumers

The National Anti-Profiteering Authority in India has held that Samsonite has denied the benefit of the reduction in Goods and Services Tax to its customers. This is in contravention of Section 171 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. An applicant had filed an application before the Standing Committee on Anti-profiteering alleging that a product supplied by Samsonite viz. the American Tourister Sky Tracer HL Blue 68cm hard trolley was sold to the applicant without reducing the GST rate from 28% to 18% as directed by the GST network. The maximum retail price (MRP) of the product remains unchanged even after a directive from the GST network to reduce the GST rate. The benefit of the reduced rate was not passed on to the consumer in this regard. Samsonite is now liable to a penalty under the provisions of Section 171 of the CGST Act.