New Packaging Norms Come Into Effect From April 1, 2022

In November last year, the Indian Government had announced some amendments and tweaks to the packaging norms that are now all set to come into effect from April 1. So what are these changes, and how do they affect manufacturers and consumers?

Let us look at these in some detail below.

CHANGES IN THE PACKAGING RULES AND THEIR EFFECTS

From time to time, packaging rules are edited to better serve the consumer and protect their rights and interests as well as support the manufacturers in their business. In the same light, the government has directed companies that manufacture products to make several declarations on their packaging, along with some other changes.

In a statement, the ministry of consumer affairs stated, “To safeguard the interest of consumers, the department of consumer affairs has omitted Rule 5 of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities), Rules 2011 defining the Schedule II prescribing the pack sizes of various types of commodities. A new provision has been introduced to indicate the unit sale price on pre-packed commodities, which will allow easier comparison of the prices of the commodities at the time of purchase,” the ministry of consumer affairs said in a statement.

From April 1, companies:

1. Must declare the per-unit price or per-kg/per-litre/per-gram/per-millilitre (ml) / per-cm price of products in addition to its MRP
2. Must mention the MRP clearly in INR, inclusive of all taxes
3. Must mention both the month and year of manufacture on imported packaged items
4. Can decide how much quantity of their packaged items they wish to sell

The now amended Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules have removed the norms of packaging of “specified quantities” from as many as 19 items. These include tea, biscuits, soft drink, packaging water, milk, bread, pulses and cereals, baby food, detergents, etc.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

The changes in packaging norms announced by the government are coming into effect on April 1, 2022. These tweaks will provide the end consumer with a lot more clarity and support to help make sound purchase decisions for themselves and their family.

Would you like an expert opinion on how best to implement the changes in packaging norms and become compliant with the Government rules before April 1? Feel free to book a discovery call with me at www.chetan-jain.com