New Delhi: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) on Wednesday warned of action if hotels and restaurants are found charging extra under heads like “LPG charges,” “Gas surcharge” and “fuel cost recovery” in food bills.The authority issued an advisory invoking the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, stating that such charges are being levied by default to circumvent the existing guidelines on service charges. It added that any such charges would not be imposed automatically, and warned that violations could be subject to “stringent action” as it amounts to “unfair trade practice”.CCPA said complaints received on the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) and media reports revealed that some hotels and restaurants were charging such charges by default in consumer bills in addition to the price of food and beverages displayed in the menu and applicable taxes. The authority said input costs such as fuel, LPG, electricity and other operating expenses are part of the cost of running a business and should be included in the pricing of menu items. It states that the price displayed in the menu will be the final price, exclusive of applicable taxes. Consumers should not be misled or forced to pay any additional charges that are not voluntary in nature. The CCPA said consumers who encounter such practices can request the hotel or restaurant to remove the charge from the bill; Register a complaint by calling 1915 or through its app and can also file a complaint before the appropriate consumer commission through the e-Jagruti portal.