Changes in food packaging rules to come into effect from December 1; consumers to get accurate product details

The new rules will apply to a total of 19 types of items including milk, tea, biscuits, edible oil, flour, bottled water, baby food, pulses, cement bags, bread and detergents.

The central government has made some key changes in the rules related to the packaging of food items and some other goods including cement. Earlier, the new rule was to come into effect on October 1 but the due date has been extended and the rules will come into effect from December 1, said a notification by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.

"In the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Amendment Rules, 2022, in rule 1, in sub-rule (2), for the figures, letters and words “1st day of October, 2022”, the figures, letters and words “1st Day of December, 2022” shall be substituted," said the notification dated September 30.

The new rules will apply to a total of 19 types of items. These items include milk, tea, biscuits, edible oil, flour, bottled water, baby food, pulses and cereals, cement bags, bread and detergents. The key changes that you will see on the packets of these items will include MRPs in the round figure. This means, the prices of these items cannot be Rs 110.5, it should be either Rs 110 or Rs 111, with no midway figure to be allowed.

Also, if the weight/quantity of the product is less than the standard weight, the manufacturer will be required to mention the price per gram/ml. This will help consumers know the exact price they are being charged for the goods.

It will also be necessary to write the manufacturing date on the imported products. The domestically manufactured products already contain manufacturing and expiring dates.

Earlier in July this year, the Department of Consumer Affairs vide the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities), (Second Amendment) Rules 2022 had allowed electronic products to declare certain mandatory declarations through the QR Code for a period of one year, if not declared in the package itself.

The amendment allowed the industry to declare the elaborated information in digital form through the QR Code. Earlier, all the prepackaged commodities including the electronic products are required to declare all the mandatory declarations as per the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities), Rules 2011 on the package.