Proposed Changes in the Legal Metrology Rules

Proposed Changes in the Legal Metrology Rules

Context:

• The Department of Consumer Affairs, Legal Metrology Division has notified a draft amendment to the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011. 

 

What is the proposed change?

• Department of Consumer Affairs after taking public comments including industries, associations, consumers have come up with the changes through an amendment.
• According to which at least two prime components should be declared on the package’s front side 
• At present the companies display the ingredients and nutritional information on the back of the packaging.

 

Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011:

• Under Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, there are certain provisions under which there are some mandatory things for manufacturers to display on the package. They are:

 

1. name and address of the manufacturer
2. the country of origin
3. the common or generic name of the commodity
4. the net quantity
5. the month and year of manufacture
6. the Maximum Retail Price (MRP)
7. consumer care information

 

What is there in the amendment?

• In the market there is huge transaction of blended food and cosmetic products, so in this regard the Department of Consumer Affairs has come up with the changes.
• This includes the display of key constituents that needs to be displayed on the product which must be clearly visible to the consumers.
• The important thing here to note down is about the composition of the unique selling proposition (USP).
• USP, which is a marketing strategy is actually used to inform customers about the superiority of one’s own brand or product.
• So, if the consumer is devoid of the composition of the product along with USP, it violates consumer rights.

Source The Hindu