Key Update

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has extended the deadline for implementing the new labelling rules for alcoholic beverages. These rules, introduced under the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) First Amendment Regulations, 2025 and notified on 20 June 2025, were originally set to take effect on January 1, 2026. FSSAI has now pushed the enforcement date to July 1, 2026.

Why FSSAI Extended the Deadline

Industry stakeholders requested more time, citing practical challenges with the earlier timeline. Alcoholic beverages also fall under State Excise Laws, and label approvals follow the excise calendar, which begins on April 1 in most states and July 1 in others. Introducing new labelling rules mid-year would have caused several problems, including:

• Wastage of already printed labels
• Additional costs due to re-registration
• Delays or disruptions in manufacturing and supply
• Operational challenges for businesses

After reviewing these concerns, FSSAI decided that an extension would allow smoother, more practical implementation.

Revised Enforcement Date

Following this assessment—and considering the earlier order issued on January 3, 2025, related to label compliance timelines—FSSAI officially revised the enforcement date to July 1, 2026. The extension applies only to the labelling provisions under the First Amendment Regulations, 2025. The Competent Authority has approved this decision under Section 16(5) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Source: Foodtech News