Packaging Requirements for Food Products in India: Complete Legal Guide 2026

Why Food Packaging Compliance Matters in India

Food packaging serves two purposes in India's regulatory framework: protecting food safety (food-grade materials, contamination prevention) and consumer protection (accurate weight declarations, clear labelling). Two separate regulatory bodies govern packaging in India: FSSAI (food safety and labelling) and the Legal Metrology Department (weight and measure declarations).

Part 1: FSSAI Packaging Requirements

Food Contact Materials (FCM) Standards

Under the FSS (Packaging) Regulations, 2018, packaging materials that come in contact with food must meet FSSAI standards:

Material	Standard	Key Restriction
Plastics	BIS IS 9833, IS 10146	Minimum 50 micron for carry bags; only virgin/food-grade plastics for food contact
Paper and Board	BIS IS 1397	No recycled paper for direct food contact; specific limits on contaminants
Metal cans	BIS IS 9396	Only tinplate or food-grade stainless steel; no lead soldering
Glass	FSSAI standards	No heavy metal migration above permitted limits
Flexible pouches (laminates)	FSSAI FCM standards	Food-grade inks and adhesives only

Prohibited Packaging Practices

• Using recycled plastics for direct food contact
• Using newspaper or magazine paper for wrapping food (contains ink/contaminants)
• Reusing non-food-grade containers (paint buckets, chemical containers) for food storage or packaging
• Using coloured plastic bags (except approved food-grade coloured plastics)
• Packaging that could migrate toxic substances into food

Single-Use Plastic Ban Implications

India's single-use plastic ban (effective 2022) affects food businesses:

• Banned items: plastic straws, plastic cutlery, polystyrene (thermocol) food packaging, certain plastic bags <75 micron
• Allowed: multilayer flexible packaging for food products (critical for shelf life), PET bottles, heavy-gauge carry bags (>120 micron)
• Trend: Shift to paper-based, compostable, or biodegradable packaging for food service

Part 2: Legal Metrology Requirements for Pre-Packaged Food

The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 require the following declarations on all pre-packaged food products:

Mandatory Declarations

Declaration	Requirements
Name and address of manufacturer	Full postal address including PIN code; email optional but recommended
Net quantity	In metric units: g, kg, ml, litre; must be accurate (±variation allowed per LM rules)
Month and year of manufacture	Must be on primary label; "month/year" format acceptable
MRP (Maximum Retail Price)	Inclusive of all taxes; preceded by "MRP ₹"; must be in INR
Consumer care details	Phone number or email for consumer complaints

Net Quantity Accuracy Requirements

Legal Metrology sets tolerance limits for net weight/volume:

• For packages of 50g–200g: tolerance ±3%
• For packages of 200g–1kg: tolerance ±1.5%
• For packages >1kg: tolerance ±1%
• Products filled by count (e.g., 10 biscuits, 12 eggs): exact count required; no tolerance

Minimum Font Size Requirements

FSSAI's Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 specify minimum font sizes for key declarations:

• Packages ≤100g or 100ml: Minimum font height 1.0 mm for most declarations
• Packages >100g to ≤200g: Minimum 1.0 mm
• Packages >200g: Minimum 1.5 mm
• For principal display panel (product name): Proportionately larger

Eco-Friendly Packaging and FSSAI Compliance

Growing consumer demand for eco-friendly packaging is aligning with regulatory direction:

• Compostable packaging must carry the "Compostable" logo as per BIS IS 17088
• Claims like "100% biodegradable" or "eco-friendly" must be substantiated — FSSAI and CPCB are cracking down on greenwashing
• Recycled content in packaging: Only recycled paper (not plastic) for indirect food contact layers in multilayer packaging

Conclusion

Food packaging compliance in India requires attention to both FSSAI food safety standards and Legal Metrology declaration requirements. Getting your packaging right before you launch prevents costly reprints, product recalls, and regulatory fines. Velco Legal India can review your packaging for FSSAI and Legal Metrology compliance before you go to print — saving you time and money.