Overview of Clause 5(6)Food Safety and Standards (Labeling and Display) Regulation 2020:
Effective labelling is a cornerstone of consumer safety and informed choice in the food sector. Recognizing this, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) introduced comprehensive labelling guidelines under the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. One of the pivotal components of these regulations is Clause 6, which details the requirements for the Principal Display Panel (PDP)—the part of the food package where critical product information must be clearly communicated.
Key Display Requirements for Food Packaging
1. Placement of Information on the Principal Display Panel:
It is mandatory the all essential information under the regulation must appear on the Principal Display Panel of the package or container. This can be done in one of two ways:
This approach ensures that consumers can easily access all relevant details without needing to inspect multiple parts of the package.
2. Minimum Area Coverage Based on Package Shape:
To maintain visibility, the regulations prescribe the minimum area that must be allocated for the principal display panel:
3. Minimum Font Sizes for Text and Numerals:
To ensure legibility, Clause 6 also specifies the minimum height of letters and numerals on the principal display panel, depending on its area:
PDP Area | Minimum Height (mm) – Normal | Minimum Height (mm) – Molded/Perforated |
Up to 200 cm² | 1 | 2 |
201 – 500 cm² | 2 | 4 |
501 – 2500 cm² | 3 | 5 |
Above 2500 cm² | 6 | 8 |
Additionally, declarations pertaining to net weight, retail price, expiry/best before/use-by date, and consumer care details must comply with size requirements set forth in the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 and its corresponding rules.
Penalty for non-compliance:
Any person who whether by himself or by any other person on his behalf manufactures for sale or stores or sells or distributes or imports any article of food for human consumption which is mis-branded, shall be liable to a penalty which may extend to three lakh rupees
For more information on the regulation, please refer: https://fssai.gov.in/cms/food-safety-and-standards-regulations.php
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