2. Introduction
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
--(Department of Consumer Affairs)
Central
Government
Legal Metrology Act 2009, (1 of
2010)
Section 52
Sub-section (1) Sub-section (2)
Clause (j) & (q)
Jointly read for exercise of powers
G. S. R. 202( E )
(Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules,
2011
Enforcement Date: 1st April, 2011
3. Applicability
Every Other Packaged
Commodity
Packaged
Commodities for
Institutional
Consumers
Packages with
qty > 25kg or
25L
Packaged
Commodities for
Industrial
Consumers
Transportation,
Airways, Railways
Hotels
Hospitals Any Institution buying
pg’s from manu.
Industry
(For Industrial Use)
Packaged
Commodities
Manu.
Institutional
Consumers
Industrial
Consumers
4. Permission
for Pre-
packing, Sale,
etc
Pre-Packing Permitted only
with
Delivery
Distribution
Sale
Declarations
LabelBearing on
Material
Not Permitted
Otherwise
Manufacturer’s
Premises (within)
No Label
permitte
d
(outsid
e)
-------
--
-------
Label
required
5. Recommende
d Standard
Packages for
Specific
Commodities
Schedule II
If not as
per
Schedule
II
Prominent
declaration on
Label
‘Not a standard pack
size under the Legal
Metrology
(packaged
commodities) Rules,
2011’
‘Not a standard size
under the Legal
Metrology
(packaged
commodities) Rules,
2011’
6. Declarations
to be made
on every
package
1) Bearing/ Label with definite, plain & conspicuous declaration of:
a) Name & Address of Manufacturer
Or Name & Address of Manufacture & Packer (if M/=P)
And Name & Address of Importer (for imported packages)
*For food articles: PFA, 1954(37 of 1954)
b) Common/ Generic names of commodity
Name & Number or Qty, of each product on package (for more than
1 product)
c) Net Quantity (Std unit of Wt/Measure; # of commodities)
d) Month & Year of Manufacturing, Pre-packing & Importing
Exemptions:
For food articles: PFA, 1954(37 of 1954)
For seeds: Seeds Act, 1966(54 of 1966)
Rubber stamp w/o overwriting
7. Declarations
to be made
on every
package
e) Retail sale price of package
Exemptions: Alcoholic beverages/ Spirituous liquor State Excise
Laws
f) Commodity Size (If relevant):
Same dimensions Mention
Different dimensions of different pieces Specify for each piece
g) Such other matter as are specified in this rules
Exemptions:
1) No declaration of Month & Year Bidi & Incense sticks
2) Exhaustion date of packaging material (Al foil) with bearing
8. Declarations
to be made
on every
package
Packaging Material
(Date of Packaging)
If not exhausted during that month
Can be used for next succeeding
month
Exemptions:
1) If Central Govt. is satisfied about non-exhaustion Extension of
period
2) For food products: Not applicable where ‘Best before or Use before’
period is less than 90 days or less from date of manufacturing or
packaging’
3) No declaration of retail sale price for bidi
9. Declarations
to be made
on every
package
2. For Consumer Complaints Name, Address, Telephone No., E-mail
address of person or office
3. No Individual Stickers for altering or declaring as per rules
Exemption: Reducing MRP Sticker with ‘Revised lower MRP (inclusive of
all taxes)’ then that on label not applicable
4. Stickers Allowed for declarations other than rules
5. Multiple pack
Label
Label
LabelLabel
Or
But if each counterpart sold individually then
(a)
(a)
(b)
10. Principal
Display Panel-
Its Area, Size
& Letter, etc.
1. Capacity <= 5 cc Card/ Taped affixed firmly with
required information
2. Numeral Height: Specified in Table 1 (wrt Wt/ Vol) & Table
2 (wrt Length, Area or Number)
3. Letter Height: NLT 1 mm ; NLT 2 mm (if blown, formed,
molded, embossed, perforated)
4. Numeral/ Letter Width: NLT (1/3rd * Height) except
Numeral ‘1’ & Letters (i), (I) and (l)
5. Exemptions: If any other law also specifies PDP regulations
11. Declaration,
where to
appear
1. PDP
Area around Qty declared – Free from printed declaration
Above/ Below – Space >= Height of Number
Left/ Right – Space >= Twice Height of Number
2. Soft Drink/ RTS Beverage/ the-like (returnable bottles)
Either or both on Crown and Bottle
Form: ‘MRP Rs_ _ _’
12. Manner in
which
declarations
shall be made
1. Legible & Prominent; Numerals of RSP & Net Qty
printed/painted/inscribed conspicuously contrast color with
background
Exception:
Blown/formed/moulded on glass/plastic – No need of contrasting
colors
Printed as Hand-writing or Hand-script – Clear, unambiguous &
legible
2. Declaration to be read along a liquid commodity Not allowed
3. Boxed commodities
Inner & Outer Declarations – Both required;
Inner Decl. NMT Outer Decl.
But if outside packaging is transparent Outer declaration
Not needed
4. Hindi (Devnagri script) ; English ; Other language (if not
prohibited)
13. Declaration of
Name &
Address of
Manufacturer
As per Rule 4
<= 5 cc. capacity – Identifiable
Commodities manufactured outside India & packed in India
Also mention packer/ importer in India
Complete address (postal of factory location & city & state of
business carried by manufacturer or packer)
Name of Manufacturer/Packer/Importer
Actual corporate name
If not Inc. : Name under which such business is conducted by
M/P/I in India
14. General
Provisions
relating to
declaration of
Quantity
Net Wt of Commodity excludes wt of wrappers/ packaging materials
Commodity Wt/ Measure not varied by environment
Net Qty on pack == Net Qty received by consumer
Not qualified by words ‘when packed’
Commodity Wt/ Measure varied by environment – Variation is
negligible
Net Qty on pack == After considering the variation
Not qualified by words ‘when packed’
Commodity Significant variation
Qualified by words ‘when packed’
Schedule III
15. Manner in
which
declaration of
Quantity shall
be made
1. Wt/ Measure/ Number/ Combination Accurate & Adequate
Info
2. Except for Schedule IV commodities declaration of quantity shall
be wrt:
Mass (Solid, Semi-solid, Viscous, Mixture of solid & liquid)
Length (Sold by Linear measure)
Area (Sold by Area measure)
Volume (Liquid/ sold by cubic measure)
Number (Sold by Number)
3. Mass declaration # of commodities declaration (optional)
4. When Mass, Measure or Number insufficient wrt dimensions
and/or numbers accompany info on dimensions and/or
number
5. Any additional info necessary to consumers Same panel as that
of other info on panel
6. Exaggerated, Misleading, Inadequate impressions Not Allowed
7. Capacity <= 5 cc Declaration – Tag, Card, Tape, Similar device
that can’t be removed w/o opening the container Every tag,
card, tape or device contain declaration
16. Statement of
Units of
Weight,
Measure &
Number
For Qty
less
than
1 kg 1 g
1 m 1 cm
1 m2 1 dm2
1 m3 1 cm2
1 dm3 1 cm3
1 L 1 mL
For Qty equal to
or more than
1 kg 1 kg
1 m 1 m
1 m2 1 m2
1 m3 1 m3
1 L 1 L
Any fraction of said units shall be
expressed in terms of decimal sub-
multiple of that unit
Examples:
500 g
7.3 L
1.1 kg
1 kg
1000 g
X 0.5 kg
• Dozen, Score, Gross & Great gross Not
Allowed
• Symbols: International System of Units
• For items sold by number: Symbols N or U
17. Declarations
N/A to Foods
Dimensions of certain commodities
Dimensions of container type commodities
Unstable sheets (Al foil, waxed paper)
18. Provisions wrt
Wholesale &
Retail dealers
Tax Revision
No sale with previous sale
Manu. must inform packer [Newspaper, Notices to dealers,
Director in Central Govt., Controllers of LMA in States & UT’s]
If packed before revision then marking necessary
Dealers can’t tamper price of M/P
M/P/I can’t alter price after printing & packing
Retailers under VAT or TOT:
Electronic Weighing Machine (Class III) with smallest division of
>=1
Facility (free of cost) & (proper place) Printed Receipt of Gross
Qty & Price
Consumers can check Qty.
19. Inspection of
Quantity &
Error in
packages at
the Premises
of the
Manu./Packer
Sampling – Schedule V
Tests – Schedule VI
Form – Schedule VII (with sign of M/P)
Report on Findings
-- Stat avg of Net Qty < Qty on pack/labels
-- Error in deficiency > Maximum permissible error
Request with apt reason Conduct fresh survey (Rs. 2500 from
M/P)
No selling of previous tests’ samples if Non- compliance until:
1) 100% check by Manu.
2) Dir/C/LMO satisfied & authorize to sell
Release of articles only after compliance if non-compliance was
found
20. Action to be
taken on
completion of
inspection of
packages at
the premises
of
Manu./Packer
Seize packets
Disposal as per Code
of Criminal
Procedure, 1973 (2
of 1974)
Fresh Test on
Request
21. Inspection of
Quantity &
Error in
packages at
the premises
of the
Wholesale or
Retail dealer
On Complaint (Tampered package) – By Dir/ Contr/ LMO
Deficiency of Error > MPE Seize packet & take action as per
Act Except: ‘When packed’ – No punitive action
Conforms – Can sell but based on Qty found on test
Deficiency but Error < MPE – Can sell but based on Qty found
on test
During inspection, packet decl. non-compliance then further
investigation of source
22. Establishment
of MPE on
packages
Schedule I
Due account of following variations:
-- Unavoidable deviation in weighing, measuring & counting
(GPP)
-- Climate, Transport & Storage (GDP)
-- Due to Nature of packaging material/ container
Dir/ Contr/ LMO – shall determine reasonable variations due
to environment for ‘when packed’ commodities
23. Deceptive
packages to
be repacked
or in default
to be seized
Deceptive: Misleading, Exaggerated, etc.
Deceptive: Bigger dimensions, except when justified by
packaging machine
Re-pack If not done Punitive action
If seized commodities (speedy or natural decay) disposed
off by by LMO/Contr/Dir