Mandatory Declarations on LMPC | Legal Metrology Act

In India, consumer protection has involved a set of laws and regulations that are designed to ensure that the consumer gets fair and transparent deals on pre-packaged goods. The information mentioned outside the packet of the products includes net quantity standards, MRP (Maximum Retail Price), date of manufacturing, batch number, etc. that should be mentioned in the objective of providing traceability and accountability. 

For this, the government amended the act, which states that every entity must comply with legal codes and laws under the Legal Metrology Act. This act asserts that all entities that sell or resell pre-packaged commodities must acquire the LMPC (Legal Metrology Packaged Commodities) certificate. 

Under the Legal Metrology Act, the essential requirements for the mandatory declaration in India have been set out in order to provide consumer information, transparency, and product authenticity. In this article, we will provide you with in-depth information about the act’s mandatory declaration and how it is important for those who negotiate their dealings with pre-packaged goods.  

Table Of Content

What is the Mandatory Declaration for LMPC Certificate? 

The government of India issues the LMPC (Legal Metrology Packaged Commodities) certificate to entities like manufacturers, importers, retailers, or distributors for pre-packaged goods. The main goal behind the LMPC certificate is that the products that are imported to the country must comply with the regulations introduced in 2011. 

To ensure transparency, fairness, and legality of goods and services, the legal authority subjugates the issuance of LMPC certificate to the applicants who apply for them. Under the LMPC certificate, it is essential to represent true and fair information about the particular product outside the package.

This information is essential to display on the package because it is legal-specific procedure to declare that the product complies with accurate traceability and accountability for its origin, safety, and freshness to end-consumers. 

Objectives of Mandatory Declarations for LMPC Certificate

Here are the objectives of mandatory declarations for LMPC certificates: 

• To empower consumers awareness and safeguard their interests in fair market. 
• To promote fair competition based on product quality and value 
• To inform consumers about freshness of consumable goods and avoid expired goods that pose health risks. 
• To facilitate better allocation of resources across the global market

Importance of Mandatory License Under Legal Metrology Act 

Here is the importance of a mandatory license under the Legal Metrology Act, which is as follows:

For consumers

• Boost purchase decisions: Mandatory declarations boost purchasing decisions among consumers by providing accurate information about weight, standards, and measurements. Such details empower consumers to choose their preferred brands from the pool of potential products to satisfy propensity of consumer.

• Prevent fraudulent activities:  Mandatory declarations help consumers liberate their choice to prevent fradulent activities. Consumers are less likely to be affected by something and to get shortchanged, misled about the product’s origin or content.

• Focus on qualitative production rather than quantitative:  Mandatory declarations for LMPC certificates are significant for the focus on qualitative production rather than quantitative production because essential information like net quantity, MRP (maximum retail price), ingredients, manufacturing date, and manufacture address provide consumers with a better experience with the product.

For business owners

• Fair market rivalry:  Mandatory declarations for LMPC certificates from a business point of view actually flourish better market rivalry. This is because all rivalries follow the same structure for presenting their products in the market, such as labelling and information disclosure, innovation, product quality, etc., and by using this marketing strategy, a brand can have a significant impact on the local market.

• Pillar of consumer trust: Mandatory declarations in the LMPC certificate ensure the customer’s loyalty. This assurance is based on the product's packaging and labelling, batch number, MRP (inclusive of all taxes), etc. which gives the customer a chance to rely on.

• Legal protection of compliance:   The LMPC Certificate ensures that the business complies with legal requirements and avoids stringent penalties for non-compliance. This certificate protects the goodwill of the business in the market without corroding the reputation of the brand.

Mandatory Declarations made under Legal Metrology Act

Here is a brief summary of the mandatory declaration made under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Rules), 2011 that must be represented outside the package of the product: 

• Name and address of the manufacturer:  The name and address of the manufacturer are necessary for tracing the origin of the supplied product on the market. Mentioning these two details helps the manufacturer establish their legal responsibility and liability for the product in case of certain defects, amendments, or accidents.

• Commodity details: Commodity details that incorporate product name/ description, ingredients, and specifications allow the brand to be properly highlighted and distinguished from other products. Apart from this aspect, it also helps to establish informed choice and transparency among customers. However, any failure to provide specific details about the product, such as precautions or instructions to use the items, can lead to non-complaince under the Legal Metrology Act.

• Date marking: The date marking is essential for establishing food safety, quality assurance, and freshness, especially if the product belongs to the perishable category.

• Batch number:

  The batch code or number consists of a combination of letters, numbers, or both, and it is mentioned outside the package of the product. This code allows the manufacturer to track it and helps to distinguish it from other products. This traceability functions to track and distinguish between batches. 

• Customer care details: By providing toll free number, email address, or website to check the authenticity of the product, customer care details play an advantageous and significant role in the functioning of the product.  Mentioning all the relevant addresses for feedback, registering complaints, or reporting any defective/unsatisfactory products to the company can help comply under Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodity), 2011.

• Net quantity: The net quantity of the product plays a vital role in declaring that the customer pays the exact amount in exchange for the value of the product.  However, failure to mention or misinterpret the net weight of the product can cause a product seizure, prosection, or even cancellation of the product.

• Common name or generic name: The brand/generic name speaks about the product usage, what the product is, and what benefits it derives from it in a straightforward manner. Along with this function, it provides legal protection against the production of the items through replicated brands.

Conclusion 

Mandatory declaration under the Legal Metrology Packaged Commodities (LMPC) Rules, 2011 is an important part of the product description to leverage transparency and fairness and to promote healthy rivalry across competitors. The information on the package of the product helps both the producer and consumer of the product establish goodwill about the brand business and trust among customers for the item they purchase.

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Is legal metrology mandatory in India?

Yes, legal metrology is mandatory in India. This act governs the regulation of weights, measures, and packaged commodities. This ensures that the packaged items must follow the standards of labelling requirements and assures that customers are well-informed about the items they purchase.

What are the declarations of legal metrology?

The declarations under legal metrology include the name and address of the manufacturer, net quantity, MRP (inclusive of all taxes), batch number, and customer retail details. This is a mandatory declaration made under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, to ensure transparency and fairness among customers.

What is the rule 27 of legal metrology?

ted on every pre-packaged commodity. The rule further provides that such declarations should be legible, prominently and in a conspicuous manner on the package so as to enable the consumer to make a correct and informed choice about the product.

What is the cost of LMPC certificate?

The cost of LMPC registration starts at just ₹ 500

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