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E-commerce platforms are the go-to destination for all kinds of products, including food items. The very essence of online selling strongly rests upon the accuracy and safety of the sold goods. The food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has also recently issued a directive specifically to e-commerce Food Business Operators (FBOs) for the accurate categorization, packaging, labeling, advertisement, and claims of food products sold online products available on their platform. This blog intends to shed light on some of these important points from the directive, besides taking into consideration how the Regulatory experts of Freyr can help e-commerce FBOs adhere to such regulations.
Understanding FSSAI’s Directive
The FSSAI directive lists a few critical points that e-commerce food businesses need to attend to.
- Classification of Food Items: E-commerce FBOs must classify food products as prescribed in the definitions and standards set forth in the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and its corresponding regulations. Mislabeling the product must be strictly avoided, especially if they are licensed under the category of 'proprietary foods,' such as Health Drink or Energy Drinks since these terms are not standardized.
- Packaging, Labeling, Advertising, and Claims: All products of e-commerce FBOs should adhere to the regulations for packaging, labeling, advertising, and claims specified by FSSAI. This should ensure clean and accurate information for the consumers buying such products.
- Non-Compliance Causes Legal Issues: E-commerce FBOs can face legal troubles if they violate these key provisions meant to regulate food safety. Hence, following these directives will be beneficial for e-commerce FBOs to keep consumer trust high and avoid other legal troubles down the road.
E-commerce Regulations under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
The regulations formulated by FSSAI regulate packing, labeling, advertisement, and claims on food products sold online. Some of them are:
- Labeling and Display Regulations: The Food Safety and Standards Regulations (Labeling and Display) 2020 cover some vital aspects like date marking, non-vegetarian logo, compound ingredients declaration, allergen declarations, food additives declarations, net quantity, Retail Sale Price (RSP), consumer care details, and nutritional information.
- Mandatory Declarations: The e-commerce platforms need to ensure that all mandatory labeling declarations are being conveyed to the consumers at the pre-sale point to ensure that there are no discrepancies and conformity with food labeling regulations.
- Front Panel Declaration: The name of the food must be relatively large and prominently displayed on its front panel, to provide clarity for consumers and prevent any ambiguity that fancy brand names might cause.
- Labeling of Non-retail Containers: For non-retail sales, the labeling must declare certain information, which includes the name of the food product, net quantity, FSSAI Registration number/Logo, date marking, identification of a lot, and details of the manufacturer/packer.
- Food Additives, Fortified, and Organic Food: Special labeling provisions are made for packages dealing with food additives, fortified food, and organic food to promote consumer awareness and transparency.
How can Freyr Assist?
As a Regulatory expert, Freyr plays a vital role in helping e-commerce FBOs comply with FSSAI’s directives. Freyr can provide guidance and support in the correct categorization of food products, updating the packaging and labeling, and ensuring overall compliance with the relevant regulations. With Freyr, the e-commerce FBOs can contribute to achieving a safer and credible online food ecosystem in India.
Therefore, compliance with the FSSAI directives assumes crucial importance for e-commerce FBOs to retain consumer trust and stay in line with Regulatory mandates. With assistance from Regulatory experts like Freyr, e-commerce platforms can successfully navigate these laws, ensuring the accuracy and safety of food sold online.
