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Seminar on Packaged Commodities Rules
A one day seminar on 'Packaged Commodities Rules and Weights and Measures' was organized at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi on 25th June 2007.
The Packaged Commodities Rules, 1977 regulate all commodities in Pre-packed form in respect of label information like name and address of manufacturer, name of commodity, net quantity, retail sale price in the form MRP inclusive of all taxes, etc and ensure availability of correct quantity to consumers. The rules protect interest of stakeholders like industries, traders, retailers, consumers, government agencies, etc who deal in commodities sold in pre packed form. As consumer preference has changed for buying more commodities in pre-packed form, the significance of the Rules in ensuring fair trade practice and transparency to all stake holders have increased. Major changes brought about in the Rules in the recent past coupled with lack of their percolation down the line has resulted in non-availability of correct information on the rules to the stakeholders leading to many disputes and violations, attracting penalty provisions.
In that context, the seminar on packaged Commodities provided valuable information on the provisions of the law applicable to various sectors of industry. The seminar highlighted on the amended definition of 'retail packages' and dwelt in detail on the non-applicability of the rules to 'industrial packages' and 'institutional packages'. A number of judgments delivered in cases filed by different stakeholder on the applicability of the Rules for wide range of products like electrical goods, bidis, wrist watches and the regulation relating to applicability of the Rules for selling pre-packaged items in Hotels & Restaurants, the need for declaring MRP on packages, etc, were discussed at length.
The Seminar, also dealt with changes brought about in the tolerance limit applicable on net content of different types of commodities sold in packages, the manner of packing certain products in non standard sizes, the requirement of keeping weighing machines at retail premises for the benefit of consumes, penalty prescribed under the Acts and Rules for violation of its provisions, points to be kept in view while deign of labels for packages, net content checking of packages at the factory premises, etc. A lively debate followed during the question and answer session at the end of the seminar and a large number of issues raised by the participants were answered.
42 participants from management, quality control, legal, production, design departments of industries like Oil companies, electrical goods, confectioneries, tea, cosmetics, consumer goods, etc and trade participated in the Seminar. Legal Metrology enforcement officials from Delhi Administration graced the occasion. A priced publication on the Standards of Weights and Measures (Packaged Commodities) Rules, containing up to date amendments published by the Institute of Quality was also made available during the seminar.
As a direct consequence of CII-IQ holding seminars across the country to make the law transparent, highlighting problem areas of the industry in complying with the provisions of the amended Packaged Commodities Rules notified vide GSR 425 E dated 17th July 2006, the Department of Consumer Affairs, Govt. of India has issued a circular dated 5th July 2007, extending the time to the industries for complying with the amended provisions of the Rules, till 31st December 2007.
For more details on Legal Metrology please contact: pa.krishnamoorthy@ciionline.org
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