Centre to amend rules on mandatory declaration of product details on bulk retail packets

Centre to amend rules on mandatory declaration of product details on bulk retail packets

Subject: Economy

Sec: Msc

Context:

The Rules mandate declaration of name and address of the manufacturer/ packer/ importer, country of origin, common or generic name of the commodity, etc. on all pre-packaged commodities.

More About News:

• The Department of Consumer Affairs has decided to amend the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 to ensure mandatory declaration of all information on pre-packaged commodities used for retail sale.
• Department of Consumer Affairs, administers the Legal Metrology Act 2009. The act provides for application of legal requirements to measurements and measuring instruments.
• The objective of Legal Metrology is to ensure public guarantee from the point of view of security and accuracy of the weighments and measurements.
• The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities), Rules 2011 are primarily intended to ensure that the consumers are able to make informed choices by being informed of essential declarations on the pre-packed commodities.

Why amendment?

• The decision comes in the wake of information that the packaged commodities above 25 kg are available in the market for retail sale without mandatory declarations on the packages.
• The rules, however, are not applicable to the packaged commodities meant for industrial consumers or institutional consumers.
• This revised provision will help in establishing uniform standards/ 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 Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 mandate declaration of information such as name and address of the manufacturer/ packer/ importer, country of origin, common or generic name of the commodity, net quantity, month and year of manufacture, maximum retail price, unit sale price, best before/ use by date, consumer care details etc. on all pre-packaged commodities in the interest of consumers.

Legal Meterology:

Legal Metrology treats units of weighment and measurement, methods of weighment and measurement and weighing and measuring instruments, in relation to the mandatory technical and legal requirements which have the object of ensuring public guarantee from the point of view of security and accuracy of the weighments and measurements.

The Rules are applicable on all pre-packaged commodities except the following:

(a) packages of commodities containing quantity of more than 25 kilogram or 25 litre

(b) cement, fertilizer and agricultural farm produce sold in bags above 50 kilograms

(c) packaged commodities meant for industrial consumers or institutional consumers.