The new rules will not be applicable to the packaged commodities meant for industrial or institutional consumers
The government will make it mandatory for manufacturers of all products sold in retail to mention key details about their contents on the packaging, irrespective of how much they weigh.
Currently, packaged products above 25 kg sold in retail shops are exempt from including relevant information on labels. To make disclosure of information about product details uniform across commodities, regardless of size and quantities, the government will amend the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, the consumer affairs ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
All pre-packaged goods must declare information such as name and address of the manufacturer, packer, importer, country of origin, common or generic name of the commodity, net quantity and month and year of manufacture, the ministry said. Products must also contain the maximum retail price, unit sale price and best before or use-by date.
“This revised provision will help in establishing uniform standards and requirements for packaged commodities, promoting consistency and fairness across different brands and products and will help consumers in making informed choices based on complete information,” the statement said.
The new rules will not be applicable to the packaged commodities meant for industrial or institutional consumers.
However, with the changing nature of markets and consumer demands, especially in e-commerce, it has been observed that the packaged commodities above 25 kg are also available for retail sale, requiring a change in rules, the ministry said.
