FMCG Platforms Found Non Compliant With Mandatory Disclosure Norms, Says Survey 

Several FMCG platforms have been found non-complaint by customers with regards to displaying 'best before' date on their platforms for pre-packaged commodities. This is as per a survey done by community platform LocalCircles. 

The survey based on consumer complaints, highlights that these firms are non-complaint with the Legal Metrology Packaged Commodity Rules (PCR) 2017 amendment. The act makes it compulsory to display ‘best before’ or ‘best before date’ on pre-packaged commodities on their platforms. Here ‘best before’ means the date by which a product is best for quality. However, it can still be safe to eat after that date if stored correctly. 

As per the survey, some FMCG direct to consumer platforms that are not compliant with the act include Amul, Patanjali, Nestle, Haldiram, Dabur, Hindustan Unilever Limited and Nature’s Basket. 

This comes at a time when several quick commerce and e-commerce platforms have also been found non-compliant with the Legal Metrology Packaged Commodity Rules (PCR) 2017 amendment. A source told Outlook Business earlier that the government sent notices to these firms for non-compliance with the same. 

Before this, Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said as per PTI that the government is examining if the quick commerce platforms are following the mandatory disclosure norms on package disclosures. Khare reportedly said, “We are examining mandatory disclosures on packaged products sold via quick commerce companies.” 

Some of the firms that have reportedly received notices include Swiggy Instamart, Blinkit, Zepto, Lenskart, Myglamm, Decathalon, and Meesho. A source told CNBC TV18, “We have sent notices to 11 companies in this space for these violations. Some sellers have placed products for human consumption where either the manufacturing date was missing or the best before or expiry date was not mentioned.” Now the companies have been asked to respond to such notices. 

This comes at a time when there has been an increase in scrutiny on quick commerce and e-commerce platforms. In September this year, the Economic Times reported that the government was making inquiries about the ownership structure of dark stores owned by quick commerce platforms. This brings the FDI rules into the limelight, which doesn’t allow foreign-funded firms to have inventories in their platforms. Thus, dark stores, the all-favorite and important places of quick commerce platforms, are not owned by them directly but by separate entities. Media reports also suggest that the government has been assessing the impact of quick commerce platforms on kirana stores.