Amendments Proposed to Packaged Commodities Rules

In response to the expanding market landscape, both online and offline, the Department of Consumer Affairs has proposed amendments to the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, to ensure uniformity for packaged commodities. Stakeholders have been given 15 days’ time to share their comments on the new proposal.

Chapter II of the Rules contains provisions applicable to packages intended for retail sale. Such packages have to bear a declaration of information such as name and address of manufacturer, packer or importer, month and year of manufacture, unit sale price, etc. Currently, Rule 3 specifies that the provisions of this Chapter do not apply to:

• packages of commodities containing a quantity of more than 25 kilograms or 25 litres;
• cement, fertilizer, and agricultural farm produce sold in bags above 50 kilograms; and
• packaged commodities meant for industrial consumers or institutional consumers.

This particular Rule was last amended vide notification dated June 23, 2017. The amendment now proposed to be made to Rule 3 provides that the provisions of the Chapter will apply to all packaged commodities sold in bags in retail, except those meant for industrial or institutional consumers.

The press release dated July 14, 2024, specifies that it was earlier presumed that packaged commodities meant for retail sale were not more than 25 kilograms but it has come to light that packaged commodities above 25 kilograms are also available in the market for retail sale. This is contrary to the original intent to enforce mandatory declarations on pre-packaged commodities meant for retail sale. Further, the Rules applied to all packaged commodities meant for retail sale and the term ‘agriculture farm produce’ is not defined under the Rules.