Legal Metrology Registration for Packaged Goods: Who Needs It and What Goes on the Pack

If you manufacture, pack or import pre-packaged goods for sale in India, the Legal Metrology rules apply to you. They require registration, and they set out what every package must declare, from net quantity to the maximum retail price. They apply to everything from snacks to cosmetics to electronics, and checks by Legal Metrology officers and e-commerce platforms are common. This guide explains who needs to register and what goes on the pack.

The Law

The Legal Metrology Act, 2009 governs weights and measures used in trade, and the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 cover pre-packaged goods. They're enforced by the state Legal Metrology departments, with a central directorate for some matters.

Who Needs to Register

Anyone who manufactures, packs or imports pre-packaged commodities for sale has to register. This includes:

• Manufacturers who pack their own products.
• Packers who pack products for others, including contract packers.
• Importers of pre-packaged goods.
• Businesses that repack bulk products into smaller packs.

Registration is with the Legal Metrology department, usually of the state where the manufacturing or packing happens, or as the rules specify for importers. Many states take applications online.

What Every Pack Must Declare

The rules require key information on every retail package, including:

• The name and address of the manufacturer, packer or importer.
• For imported goods, the country of origin.
• The common or generic name of the product.
• The net quantity, in standard units of weight, measure or number.
• The month and year of manufacture, or of import for imported goods.
• The maximum retail price (MRP), inclusive of all taxes.
• The unit sale price, such as the price per kilogram or litre, where it applies.
• Consumer care details: a phone number and email address for complaints.
• A "best before" or "use by" date, where the product needs one.

The declarations must be clear and legible, and some have minimum font sizes depending on the pack size. Food products also have to meet FSSAI's labelling rules.

E-commerce

E-commerce platforms must display the mandatory declarations on product listings, and they generally ask sellers to provide them. Sellers should make sure the details shown online match the actual pack.

Weighing and Measuring Instruments

The Legal Metrology rules also cover weighing scales, measuring instruments and fuel dispensers used in trade. These must be of an approved model and verified and stamped periodically by the Legal Metrology department. Businesses that sell by weight, such as shops, should keep their scales verified.

Manufacturers, dealers and repairers of weighing and measuring instruments need their own licences.

Exemptions

Some packages are exempt from parts of the rules, such as very small packs, goods for industrial or institutional consumers, and certain specified products. The exemptions are narrow, so check carefully before relying on one.

Common Mistakes

• Selling packaged goods without registering as a packer or importer.
• Missing or incorrect MRP, net quantity or consumer care details.
• Stickering over the MRP without following the rules.
• Product listings that don't match the pack.
• Using weighing scales that haven't been verified.

Getting Help

Think Filing handles Legal Metrology registration for manufacturers, packers and importers, and reviews packaging declarations before goods reach the market.

Sources

• Legal Metrology Act, 2009.
• Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, as amended.