Who the label rules cover
If you pack goods and sell them in India, the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 apply to you. That covers a candle maker filling jars at home. It also covers a brand that gets its soap made in a factory. The rules say what must be printed on every retail pack. They also say what an online store must show before the buyer pays. None of it is hard. You just need to get it right on every product, every time.
What every pack must say
| Declaration | What to print |
|---|---|
| Maker and packer | Name and full address of the maker, and of the packer or importer if different |
| Country of origin | Where an imported product was made or assembled |
| Product name | The common or generic name, and the number of each item in a combo pack |
| Net quantity | Weight, measure or number, in standard units such as g, kg, ml or litre |
| Date | Month and year of manufacture, plus a best before or use by date if the product can go bad |
| MRP | Maximum retail price in rupees, inclusive of all taxes |
| Unit sale price | Price per gram, kg, ml, litre or unit, unless it equals the MRP |
| Size | Dimensions, where the size of the product matters |
| Consumer care | Name, address, phone number and email for complaints |
What your product page must show
Rule 6(10) asks e-commerce entities to show the same declarations on the website, except the month and year of manufacture. The 2011 rules define that term around companies. But the E-Commerce Rules add a wider duty. If you own your stock and sell it on your own site, you must show all the notices the law requires. So put the maker, net quantity, MRP, unit price, origin and consumer care details on each product page. Rule 31 adds one more point. Any advert that quotes a price must also state the net quantity, in the same font size.
Stickers, small packs and bulk packs
You cannot use stickers to change or add the mandatory declarations. The one exception is a lower MRP. You may stick a new, lower price on the pack, as long as it does not hide the old one. Very small packs are exempt. The rules do not apply to packs of 10 g or 10 ml or less, sold by weight or measure, other than tobacco. The label chapter also skips packs above 25 kg or 25 litres. It skips packs for industrial or institutional buyers marked 'not for retail sale' too.
Food and cosmetics have extra rules
For packed food, the maker's details and the date marking come from the food safety law instead. So follow the FSSAI labelling rules for those items. For cosmetics, the date rules come from the drugs and cosmetics law. Soaps, shampoos, toothpaste and other cosmetics and toiletries also need a dot at the top of the main panel. It is green for vegetarian origin, and red or brown for non-vegetarian origin.
Register as a packer or importer
If you pack or import goods for sale, rule 27 asks you to register your name and address with the Legal Metrology Director or Controller. The rules set the fee at ₹500. You apply within 90 days of starting to pack. Your name on the label matters too. If your brand name and address appear on the label as the marketer, the rules hold you responsible for any breach. On The Storemate, every product gets its own page with a description you control, so these details can sit right beside the price. If your packs are unusual, check with a lawyer or your state Legal Metrology office.