A careful look at the packs of these products may reveal that most of the mandatory declarations laid out by the Package Commodities Rules, 1977 that have to be printed are incomplete or missing.
How many times does the common man bother to check the packing of food products? Often people walk into a grocery store, pick up commodities, pay for them and leave.
A careful look at the packs of these products may reveal that most of the mandatory declarations laid out by the Package Commodities Rules, 1977 that have to be printed are incomplete or missing.
The rules
According to Package Commodities Rules 1977, any pre-packed package (those commodities packed in the absence of consumers) should have:
* Complete address of the manufacturer or importer
* Generic name of the contents inside the pack
* Net quantity, weight/volume/number based on the kind of product
* Mention the ‘best before’ date under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1954
* Maximum retail price inclusive of all the taxes
But when Deccan Herald collected samples of food packets from some retail stores in Chamarajpet, City Market and K R Puram, most of these rules were not followed. A mustard packet manufactured with the brand name Tirumala, priced at Re 1, didn’t have the generic name on it. Its net weight and address of the manufacturer were also missing. The most important detail--best before period--was not printed.
Another packet of cumin seeds of SMS brand too didn’t have the best before period mentioned on it. The maximum retail price, inclusive of all the taxes, that was printed on the pack was misleading as the digits were not in order but were one below the other. It could be read either as Rs 5 or Rs 15.
There are possibilities of customers getting cheated of their money by the shop keepers in such cases.
Similarly, Pancharatna brand of poppy seeds, priced at Rs 24, didn’t have the generic name mentioned on the pack. These are only few examples of how manufacturers are not adhering to all the standards set by Legal Metrology Department.
According to food scientists, spices, both whole and ground, too have certain shelf life. Spices lose potency with time and they should be discarded and replaced with fresh ones, therefore manufacturers have to mention the best before period on spice packets.
The Legal Metrology Department is responsible to check whether all the mandatory label declarations have been printed by manufacturers on pre-packed packages. Field officers, inspectors, assistant and deputy controllers of Legal Metrology Department conduct surprise raids and continuous inspections on retail stores regularly to check whether there are any violations. But rampant non compliance of rules exists in many stores.
According to N Prakash, Controller of Legal Metrology, it is the duty of all manufacturers or importers to give the label declarations on packs failing which they are liable for penalty under the section 39 read with section 63 of Standards of Weights and Measures Act of 1976, which covers inter-state trade and commerce.
Maximum penalty of Rs 5,000 is levied on defaulters including the retailers, distributors, wholesalers, stockist and manufacturers for non-compliance of rules.
Similarly, penalty of the same amount is also levied on defaulters falling under intra-state trade and commerce under the Standards of weights and measures Enforcement Act of 1985.
From January 2008, it will be made mandatory for all manufacturers to give their e-mail address or telephone number on pre-packed packages. In cases of certain companies that have a separate consumer division or cell, the name and designation of the head of this division should be printed on the packs, added Mr Prakash.
In Bangalore 2,719 cases have been booked from April 2006 to March 2007 and a penalty of Rs 93,74,600 has been levied on offenders.
“Since the volume of trade is growing day by day there are instances of some violations in packaging. But big manufacturers are aware of rules and compliance is more among them compared to some small players, who don’t adhere to these mandatory declarations,” said Metrology Department sources.
Consumer’s view It’s a myth that only small stores selling local brands don’t adhere to the mandatory declarations that have to be made on pre-packaged packs. I have noticed some food packs at super markets which don’t have important details like the best before period mentioned on them. I guess as consumers we too are responsible for negligence by manufacturers. We should demand for all accurate details to be printed on such packs.
Zulfi Malik, homemaker
Retailer speaks We encounter only stray instances where customers enquire about the details printed on food packs. Manufacturers of local brands bring produce from rural areas usually pack them at homes and sell it to us. They are not bothered about giving all the package details, neither do we demand for it
