Context:

• 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 provisions of declarations of MRP has been simplified by removing illustrationand providing for making the mandatory declaration of MRP in Indian currency inclusive of all taxes.
• This has allowed the manufacturer/packer/importer to declare the MRP on the pre packed commodities in a simplified manner.

About Legal Metrology Act, 2009

• With respect to provide uniform standards of weights and measures, the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 enforced in India. The Act was implemented with effect from 1st April, 2011.
• Enforcement of Weights and Measures and Standards is entrusted with the Directorate of Legal Metrology in each state in India, and almost every business is impacted by the Laws of Legal Metrology being involved in sale, distribution or any transaction of goods by weight, measure or number.

OBJECTIVE

The Act came into force with the following objectives:

• To regulate trade and commerce in weights and measures
• To set and enforce the standards of weight and measure
• To regulate the manufacture, sale and use of goods by weights, measures or numbers
• To rationalize the Metric system (meter, kilogram etc.) to be used in India

Mandatory Declarations

• Legal Metrology Act Imposes an obligation of declarations to manufacture, pack, sell, import, distribute, deliver, offer, expose or possess for sale any pre packaged commodity in standard quantities or number.
• Mandatory declaration to be made on every package or pre-packaged commodities intended to be commercialized in India.

The following declarations are mandatory to put on the packages:

• The name and address of the manufacturer or packer or importer
• The common or generic name of the commodity
• Country of Origin
• The net quantity of the content
• Month and year of manufacturer or packing or import
• Best before or expiry date, month and year’ of a commodity
• Retail sale price: MRP (including all taxes)
• Size/dimension of the commodity when relevant

E-Commerce Firms

• The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Amendment Rules, 2017 issued especially for market place E-Commerce entities.
• E-commerce companies have to mention above declarations (similar to packaged commodities) on the digital or electronic platform mainly used for e-commerce platforms.