Chapter II — Display panel and manner of declaration

Rule 7. Principal display panel — its area, size and letter etc.

(1) In the case of a package having a capacity of five cubic centimeters or less, the principal display panel may be a card or tape affixed firmly to the package and shall bear the required information.

(2) The height of any numeral in the declaration required under these rules, on the principal display panel shall not be less than,—

(i) as shown in Table-I, if the net quantity is declared in terms of weight or volume;

(ii) as shown in Table-II, if the net quantity is declared in terms of length, area or number.

(3) The height of letters in the declaration shall not be less than 1 mm height and when blown, formed, molded, embossed or perforated, the height of letters shall not be less than 2 mm.

Provided that the width of the letter or numeral shall not be less than one third of its height, except in the case of numeral '1' and letters (i), (I) and (l);

TABLE-I — Minimum height of numeral by weight or volume

TABLE-II — Minimum height of numeral by length, area or number

(4) The provisions under sub-rule (1) to (3) shall not apply to a package if the information to be specified on such package under this rule is also required to be given by or under any other law for the time being in force.

Rule 8. Declaration where to appear

(1) Every declaration required to be made under these rules shall appear on the principal display panel.

Provided that the area surrounding the quantity declaration shall be free from printed information —

(a) above and below by a space equal to at least the height of the numeral in the declaration, and

(b) to the left and right by a space at least twice the height of numeral in the declaration.

(2) For soft drink, ready to serve fruit beverages or the like, the bottle which is returnable by the consumer for being refilled, the retail sale price may be indicated either on the crown cap, or on the bottle or on both and if the retail sale price is indicated on the crown cap or the bottle, it is sufficient to indicate the retail sale price in the form of 'MRP Rs....'.

Rule 9. Manner in which declaration shall be made

(1) Every declaration which is required to be made on a package under these rules shall be —

(a) legible and prominent;

(b) numerals of the retail sale price and net quantity declaration shall be printed, painted or inscribed on the package in a colour that contrasts conspicuously with the background of the label;

Provided that,—

(a) where any label information is blown, formed or molded on a glass or plastic surface such information need not be required to be presented in a contrasting colour;

(b) where any declaration on a package is printed either in the form of hand-writing or hand-script, such declaration shall be clear, unambiguous and legible.

(2) No declaration shall be made so as to require it to be read through any liquid commodity contained in the package.

(3) Where a package is provided with an outside container or wrapper such container or wrapper shall also contain all the declarations which are required to appear on the package except where such container or wrapper itself is transparent and the declarations on the package itself are easily readable through such outside wrapper.

Provided that no such declarations on the inner package is required if the inner package does not contain any declaration on its outer cover.

(4) The particulars of the declarations required to be specified under this rule on a package shall either be in Hindi in Devnagri script or in English:

Provided that nothing contained in this sub-rule shall prevent the use of any other language in addition to Hindi or English language.

Rule 10. Declaration of name and address of the manufacturer, etc.

(1) Subject to the provisions of rule 6, every package kept, offered or exposed for sale or sold shall bear conspicuously on it, the name and complete address of the manufacturer, or where the manufacturer is not the packer, the name and address of the manufacturer and the packer and in case of imported packages, the name and address of the importer:

Provided that for packages of capacity 5 cubic cm or less, it shall be a sufficient compliance of this sub-rule, if a mark or inscription which would enable the consumer to identify the manufacturer or packer or the importer, as the case may be, is made on the package:

Provided further that where any commodity manufactured outside India is packed in India, the package shall also contain on the principal display panel the name and complete address of the packer or the importer in India.

Explanation to rule 10(1)

In this sub-rule, 'complete address' means, the postal address at which the factory is situated, and, in any other case, the name of the street, number (if any) assigned to the premises of the manufacturer or packer and either the name of the city and State where the business is carried on by the manufacturer or packer or the Postal Index Number [PIN] Code so that a consumer can identify and locate the manufacturer or packer or importer, as the case may be.

(2) The name of the manufacturer or packer or importer shall be the actual corporate name, or if not incorporated, the name under which the business is conducted by such manufacturer or packer or importer in India.

Amendment history