Weights and Measures – New Rules – Guidelines
The amended provisions of the Packaged Commodities Rules, 1977 have come into force with effect from 14.1.2007. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has issued guidelines to the State officers and industries that
1) Efforts may be made to give wide publicity to these changes so as to spread awareness amongst manufacturers/wholesalers /retailers
2) The initial enforcement steps may only be in the nature of investigational surveys. Any deficiency noticed should be brought to the notice of the concerned. This is being suggested to provide an opportunity to manufacturers to update their label declarations and the seller to put in place an appropriate weighing equipment. This approach may be continued upto 30th April 2007 and it is expected that in this initial period there would be no prosecution.
3) Manufacturers may be permitted to affix individual sticker to declare the details of consumer care cell upto 30th June ,2007, so as to utilize the existing packaging materials.
The Ministry has also issued certain clarifications:-
1) Definition of 'pre-packed commodity': the intention is to include packages of bulbs ,ready made garments etc., which are kept in unsealed packages and are opened by consumers for examination. It is not intended to cover sealed packages ,opened subsequently.
2) declaration of designation of the person in charge of consumer care cell is enough, name not necessary.
1) the provisions of the Rules prohibit affixing of stickers for making or altering individual declaration. There is no bar on affixing a label containing all the declarations required under the Rules.
2) when a package has two wrappings, inner and outer , what is of concern to the consumer is outer wrapper . So there is no purpose of giving all declarations on inner wrapper.
3) the declaration of net content of ice cream will be by weight . However if manufacturer wants to declare volume as an additional information , they can do so of their volition.
Incidentally CBEC issued instructions recently regarding Ice Cream supplied to hotels being required to mention MRP. This is after the provision has been deleted from these Rules. We will bring you an insightful analysis of the issue in our Special Column day after tomorrow.