New Delhi, Oct. 23 -- Retail giant Westside has recently sparked an uproar among shoppers for charging a flat "convenience fee" of Rs.49 on all credit card transactions.

"A convenience fee of Rs.49/- shall be charged on all credit card transactions in-store," the Westside in-store policy notice read. In a response to a concerned customer, the store said: "You can avoid this charge anytime by using UPI, debit cards, or cash."

This has triggered a massive backlash online, with netizens calling it a "cheap tactic" and questioning the fairness of the controversial charges.

Journalist Sucheta Dalal also took to X, questioning the legality of Westside's move: "Will @fssai @DeptConsumerAff look at this? Why should stores be allowed to levy a ...