Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities), Rules 2011

• 10 Nov 2021

Why in News

The Department of Consumer Affairs has omitted the Rule 5 of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities), Rules 2011 to safeguard interest of consumers.

• Rule 5 defines the Schedule II prescribing the pack sizes of various types of commodities.

Key Points

• About the Amendment:
  
  • Declaration of MRP:
    
    • Declaration of Maximum Retail Price (MRP) in Indian currency inclusive of all taxes on pre-packaged commodities and date of manufacture has been made mandatory.
  • New Provision of Unit Sale Price:
    
    • Now the quantities can be expressed in terms of the number or unit or piece or pair or set or such other word which represents the quantity in the package.
      
      • It will allow easier comparison of the prices of the commodities at the time of purchase.
      • Earlier, for items sold by number, the symbol used were N or U.
• Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011:
  
  • It regulates pre-packaged commodities in India and inter – alia mandate certain labeling requirements prior to sale of such commodities.
  • The main aim of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 is to establish and enforce standards of weights and measures, regulate trade and commerce in weights, measures and other goods which are sold or distributed by weight, measure or number and any other matter that is connected to the same.
    
    • According to the Act, the Central Govt. may appoint a Director of Legal Metrology to perform duties related to inter-state trade and commerce.
    • The State Govt. may appoint a Controller of Legal Metrology to perform duties related to intra-state trade and commerce.
• Related Initiatives:
  
  • Consumer Protection Act, 2019
  • Draft Food Safety And Standards (Labelling And Display) Regulation.

Source: PIB