A Presentation made as a part of my course on "Food Safety, Quality, and Regulations" (Bachelor's study)

1. Legal Metrology Act
Anas Ejaz Shaikh
13FET1006

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

24. Declarations
applicable for
every
wholesale
package
1. Name & Add. Of M/P/I
2. Identity of commodity
3. Wt/Measure/#

25. Restrictions
on Sale of
Export
packages in
India
Export Package
Repack/ Relabel
Can be Sold
Not
Repacked/Relabeled
Liable to be seized

26. Exemptions
1. Net Wt/ Measure:
 <= 10 g
 <= 10 mL
2. Fast food packed by restaurants or hotels or like
3. Agricultural form packages of > 50 kg