New Delhi: In a move aimed at improving price transparency and helping consumers make informed buying decisions, the Department of Consumer Affairs has prescribed standard pack sizes for edible oils and fats under the Legal Metrology framework.
The revised norms come after consultations with industry associations representing nearly 90% of India’s edible oil sector and seek to address the growing use of varied pack sizes that often make price comparisons difficult for consumers.
Under the new guidelines, major edible oils, including palm, soybean, sunflower, mustard, groundnut, sesame, rice bran, cottonseed and corn oil, will be sold in standard pack sizes of 200 ml/g, 500 ml/g, 1 litre/kg, 2 litre/kg, 3 litre/kg, 4 litre/kg, 5 litre/kg, 15 litre/kg and 20 litre/kg.
The government has also made it mandatory for manufacturers to declare the equivalent weight on packs where quantity is displayed in volume units such as litres or millilitres. The measure is expected to enable easier comparison of prices across different brands.
The new provisions will apply to both domestically produced and imported edible oils. However, packs below 200 ml or 200 grams and certain minor edible oils have been kept outside the scope of standardisation to ensure the availability of affordable small packs.
Manufacturers, packers and importers have been given a three-month transition period to comply with the revised norms.
The Centre said the move will promote greater uniformity in packaging practices, encourage fair competition and enhance transparency in the edible oil market while safeguarding consumer interests.
