National Consumer Helpline secures ₹45 Cr in refunds for consumers in eight months

The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) has helped consumers across India recover nearly ₹45 crore in refunds over an eight-month period, underscoring its growing role as an effective dispute resolution platform under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 .

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, the helpline successfully resolved 67,265 refund-related complaints between April 25 and December 26, 2025. These cases spanned 31 sectors and were settled without recourse to formal litigation, easing the burden on consumer courts.

The NCH has emerged as a cost-effective and time-efficient mechanism for resolving disputes between consumers and companies. By addressing grievances at an early stage, the helpline has significantly reduced the caseload of Consumer Commissions across the country.

The e-commerce sector accounted for the highest number of complaints and refund amounts. During the period under review, the helpline handled 39,965 complaints in the sector and facilitated refunds worth ₹32 crore. The travel and tourism sector followed, with 4,050 complaints resulting in refunds totalling ₹3.5 crore.

Other sectors that saw notable refund volumes included agency services, which recorded ₹1.34 crore in refunds, electronic products with ₹1.17 crore, and airlines, where consumers recovered ₹95 lakh. Collectively, these five sectors accounted for more than 85 per cent of the total refunds processed by the helpline.

The ministry attributed the helpline’s effectiveness in part to its collaboration with more than 1,000 partner companies, which has helped speed up grievance redressal.

The press release also highlighted several consumer success stories. In one case, a Bengaluru-based consumer received a refund after an internet connection was not installed despite a four-month wait. In another instance, a Chennai resident secured a delayed flight ticket refund following NCH intervention. A consumer from Jodhpur also received a full refund for damaged furniture purchased online after repeated failed pickup attempts by the seller.

These cases, the government said, demonstrate the helpline’s reach across urban and rural areas alike.

Consumers can access the National Consumer Helpline in 17 languages through its toll-free number 1915, the official website, WhatsApp, SMS, the NCH mobile application, or the UMANG app.

The department reiterated its commitment to strengthening consumer protection mechanisms and encouraged citizens to use the helpline to safeguard their rights and secure timely refunds.