Cos to get at least 6 months to conform to labeling changes

NEW DELHI: Manufacturers of packaged products will get at least 6 months to conform to labeling norms whenever there is a change.

An inter-ministerial group headed by Consumer Affairs Ministry Additional Secretary Rakesh Kacker has recently decided to provide a minimum of 6 months' time for implementing any new notification, a senior government official said.

He said January 1 and July 1 are the two dates fixed for implementing any new notification.

If the notification is published between January and June, the effective date of implementation will be January 1 next year and those published between July and December would be implemented from the next July 1, he added.

The move will overcome the problem of repeated printing of labels due to frequent changes in labeling requirements by different departments, the official noted.

The inter-ministerial group, which had representatives from the ministries of agriculture, health and food processing industries, has also agreed that a standing committee would be formed by including industry bodies.

If any department wants to make changes with respect to labeling, the approval of the standing committee has to be taken under normal circumstances, the official said.

Manufacturers currrently follow different norms like Packaged Commodities Rules, Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Rules, Insecticide Rules and Drugs & Cosmetics Rules.

These rules are governed by different agencies under various ministries.