Cooking Oils to Be Sold Only in 9 Standard Sizes; New Rules Announced

The Centre has mandated nine standard pack sizes for edible oils, from 200 ml to 20 litres, to improve price comparison. Companies have three months to comply with the new rules.

The Centre has mandated nine standard pack sizes for edible oils, from 200 ml to 20 litres.

Source : Edible Oil Prices

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Government mandates nine standard edible oil pack sizes.
• New norms simplify price comparisons, require weight listing.
• Exemptions for small packs; three months for compliance.

The Central government on Saturday announced a major change in edible oil packaging norms, mandating that cooking oils sold in the country be available only in nine standard pack sizes. The move is aimed at making it easier for consumers to compare prices across different brands and products.

The Department of Consumer Affairs has amended the Standard Operating Procedure under the Legal Metrology framework. The new norms will apply to both domestically manufactured and imported edible oils.

Nine Standard Pack Sizes Notified

Under the revised rules, edible oils can be sold only in the following pack sizes: 200 ml, 500 ml, 1 litre, 2 litres, 3 litres, 4 litres, 5 litres, 15 litres and 20 litres.

The regulations will cover a wide range of edible oils, including palm oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, mustard oil, groundnut oil, sesame oil, rice bran oil, cottonseed oil and corn oil.

In addition, manufacturers will be required to mention the weight of the oil alongside its volume on the packaging. For example, products sold in litres must also indicate their equivalent weight in kilograms.

Exemptions For Small Packs

The government has exempted edible oil packs smaller than 200 ml as well as certain minor edible oils from the new packaging requirements. Officials said the exemption is intended to ensure the continued availability of affordable small packs in the market.

Three-Month Transition Period

Manufacturers, packers and importers have been given three months to comply with the revised norms. However, companies willing to adopt the new standards earlier can do so immediately.

According to the government, the decision was taken after consultations with industry associations representing nearly 90 per cent of India's edible oil sector.