Barista Coffee Lanka (Pvt) Ltd has been fined Rs. 400,000 by the Bandarawela Magistrate’s Court for violations of consumer protection laws, following a case brought by the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA), Newswire reported on Wednesday.
The CAA — which conducts regular inspections at registered food and beverage outlets — pursued the case against the operator of the coffee chain’s Bandarawela outlet, with the court accepting the prosecution’s evidence and imposing the fine. The exact nature of the violations was not disclosed in the report, but the CAA has previously pursued food and beverage operators for offences ranging from price-display irregularities and labelling defects to expired-stock and hygiene breaches.
The case is part of a broader CAA enforcement push at major franchise and chain operators. The authority has stepped up inspections at supermarkets, restaurants and cafés ahead of seasonal demand peaks, and has secured a string of fines from listed and unlisted hospitality businesses in recent months. The Bandarawela case is notable because Barista is one of the better-known international coffee brands operating in Sri Lanka, and the fine is on the higher end of the range the CAA has secured for outlet-level violations.
Barista Coffee Lanka has not commented publicly on the ruling. The Rs. 400,000 fine is the latest CAA action enforced against a recognised hospitality chain and is likely to keep franchise operators on notice as the regulator continues outlet-level inspections across the upcountry tourism belt.
Sources: Newswire — Barista Coffee Lanka fined Rs. 400,000 for consumer law violations.
