A consumer disputes redressal commission has held a wellness chain guilty of issuing misleading advertisements and engaging in unfair trade practice, and directed it to pay a compensation of ₹2 lakh to a woman who enrolled in its slimming programme after seeing promotional claims online.
According to the complaint, the woman said she saw advertisements on Instagram and YouTube promising weight reduction, facial glow, and a “100% money-back guarantee”. Trusting the claims, she and her sister visited the Anna Nagar branch of Kolors Healthcare in May 2023, where the staff allegedly reiterated the refund assurance and persuaded them to enrol under a discounted package costing about ₹2 lakh.
The complainant said she was encouraged to opt for EMI, as she was financially constrained. She alleged that documents were processed and a loan arranged without proper explanation, and she paid an advance before beginning the treatment.
After her first session, she claimed to have experienced severe back pain and decided to discontinue the programme. So she requested that the loan and refund be cancelled. However, despite repeated follow-ups, neither the refund nor the loan closure materialised, forcing her to approach the police and authorities, she said.
