In order to make the customers more powerful during and after the purchase, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has omitted the Rule 5 of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities), Rules 2011making declaration of maximum retail price (MRP) in Indian currency inclusive of all taxes on pre packed commodities and date of manufacture mandatory.
The other change made to the rules is the way MRP is printed on the packaged commodities. The third change made to the rules is with regard to mentioning of quantity on a packaged commodity either in 'number' or 'unit'. The fourth and last change made to the rules is with regard to the packaged imported commodities. Currently, companies have an option to either mention date of import or date of manufacturing or date of prepackaging. The new packaging rules will come into effect from April 1, 2022.
“In the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 ,in rule 2, in clause (aa), for the words, brackets, letters and figures ?clause (d) of sub-section (1) of section 2 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 (68 of 1986)?, the words, brackets, letters and figures ?clause (7) of section 2 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (35 of 2019)? shall be substituted,” the amendment said.
“When one or more packages intended for retail sale are grouped together for being sold as a retail package on promotional offer, every package of the group shall comply with provisions of rule 6. In the said rules, rule 5 shall be omitted. 5. In the said rules, in rule 6, in sub-rule (1),–– (i) in clause (d), the words, ?or pre-packed or imported? shall be omitted,” it said.
"To safeguard interest of consumers, the Department of Consumer Affairs under Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has omitted the 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 said in a statement.
The government has made changes in the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities), Rules 2011. Under this, 19 items like milk, tea, biscuits, edible oil, flour, bottled water and drinks, baby food, pulses, cereals, cement bags, bread and detergent will come.
As per the amendment, the manufacturers will have to make additional declarations to MRP by mentioning the price of the commodity per unit -- per kg or litre for items weighing more than a kg or litre; and per gram or millilitre (ml) for items of less than one kg or a litre. As per that rule, rice or wheat flour for example were required to be packed in 100 gram, 200 gram, 500 gram and 1 kg, 1.25 kg, 1.5 kg. 1.75 kg, 2kg, 5 kg and thereafter in multiples of 5 kg.
The ministry further stated that earlier, the month and year in which the commodity is manufactured or pre-packed or imported was required to be mentioned in the package. Representation from Industry and associations in this respect has been received to remove this ambiguity.
For reducing compliance burden and removing the ambiguity of declaration of date on pre packedcommodities for consumers, the declaration has now been required to the month and year in which the commodity is manufactured for the pre packed commodities.
“The provisions of declarations of MRP has been simplified.
