 "Packaged food image via Shutterstock")
Government has amended the packaged commodities rules making it mandatory for the manufacturers to display information about the content of the packaged products in the 40 percent area of the packet. “Now in all the packaged commodities six mandatory information shall have to be displayed more prominently atleast at the 40 percent area of the packet, except top and bottom, so that these are easily readable by consumers,” said a press release of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, which has amended the rules. The new rules will be enforced from July this year.
According to the amendment, name of manufacture/packager/ importer, net quantity of product, manufacturing date, retail sale price and consumer care contacts will have to be displayed in a panel of 40 percent of the area of the packet in readable font size. Monitoring cell will be setup to ensure strict compliance of new provision.
Chairing the meeting of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) at Mussoorie on April 7, 2016, Ram Vilas Paswan, Minister of Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution, said his Ministry is setting up quick response system to attend consumer complaints, existing National Consumer Helpline is being geared up for this purpose and now a senior level officer will monitor the disposal of complaints on daily basis. He expressed the hope that Consumer Protection Act, which has many unique features to safeguard interests of consumers, will be passed by the Parliament in the second part of the budget session
Reviewing the working of BIS during the Governing body meeting, Paswan asked the Bureau to formulate rules to ensure early implementation of new BIS Act so that culture of quality goods and services can be ushered in the country. BIS has taken various initiatives under ‘Make in India’ for standard formulation which includes items relating to renewable energy, bio-fuel, auto components, electric machinery and construction etc. “BIS is also contribution to ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ by formulating new standards on solid and plastic wastes management, water and waste water supply management,” he added.
