The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Legal Metrology Division (“Ministry”) in a notification dated 14th June, 2018 has allowed manufacturers / packers / importers to put stickers / tags/ online printing etc. up to 31.07.2018 for making the mandatory declarations required under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Amendment Rules, 2017 (“Rules”).
Pursuant to representations received from several stakeholders, the Ministry has requested the following:
- Efforts are to be made to give wide publicity to the provisions of the Rules in order to spread awareness amongst manufacturers/ packers/ importers and retailers etc.
- The initial enforcement steps will be in the nature of investigational surveys. Any deficiency noticed have to be brought to the notice of the concerned. Manufacturers/ Packers are being given an opportunity to update the label declarations. There would be no prosecution for shortcomings in the labelling requirements in case of font size, if it does not affect the consumers.
- The extension till 31.07.2018 has been granted for better implementation of the Rules.
- Country of Origin must be compulsorily declared along with other declarations which includes best before or use by date or expiry date etc. required under the Rules
Source: Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
Background:
In view of the amendment in Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 (“Rules”) which is effective January 1, 2018, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Legal Metrology Division (“Ministry”) has issued a notification dated December 19, 2017 to implement the smooth transition to the new rules. Following this amendment, several representations were received from stakeholders seeking the permission to use pre-printed packaging material, the Ministry has allowed industries to utilise the old packaging materials till 31.03.2018 or till such date that the wrapper or packaging material gets exhausted, whichever is earlier. This notification has been issued with a view to avoid waste of pre-printed packaging material which comply with the old rules.
However, the Ministry has clarified that declarations according to the new rules must be done by any of the following means:
(i) Affixing of new stickers
(ii) Stamping
(iii) Online printing
(iv) Using a tag to make declarations as per the font size indicated in the Rules.
Source: Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
Further to the notification dated 19th December, 2017 the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Legal Metrology Division (“Ministry”) has issued another notification dated 1st March, 2018 thereby allowing manufacturers/ packers/ importers to put stickers/ tags/ online printing etc. upto 30.04.2018 for making the mandatory declarations required under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 (“Rules”).
Source: Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
