Report

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is set to investigate e-commerce and fast commerce platforms for potential violations of the Food Safety and Standards Amendment Regulations 2020. This legislation requires platforms and sellers to list and deliver food products with at least 30 per cent of their shelf life remaining or no fewer than 45 days before expiration. “Any food article delivered to a consumer by e-commerce FBO shall have a shelf life of thirty per cent or forty-five days before expiry at the time of delivery to the consumer,” the act specifies.

FSSAI Investigates E-Commerce Violations

If the FSSAI identifies violations on quick commerce and e-commerce platforms, it will increase scrutiny of dark stores through unscheduled audits. The agency has expressed ongoing concerns about the sale of pre-packaged food items on these platforms. In July, as per media reports, the government intensified spot checks and unscheduled audits on quick commerce platforms. “These audits are being done to ensure quality control at all dark stores,” an FSSAI official reportedly stated, following instances of hygiene lapses, including a significant issue in June at a Blinkit warehouse.

The Commissioner of Food Safety in Telangana noted that the Blinkit warehouse in Medchal Malkajgiri District was found to be “very disorganized, unhygienic, and dusty at storage racks.” Furthermore, according to previous reports, the government issued notices to quick commerce and e-commerce platforms for violating the Legal Metrology Act, which governs the production and sale of packaged goods. This law mandates that e-commerce platforms display the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) and Best Before Dates for products intended for human consumption.

Requirements for Shelf Life Compliance

Additionally, a recent survey by community platform LocalCircles highlighted that several online platforms are delivering products with limited shelf life. For instance, some platforms provide bread packets with a shelf life of 5-7 days that contain only 1 day remaining. The survey indicates that these platforms violate the Packaged Commodity Rules Amendment 2017 and the Food Safety and Standards Amendment Regulations 2020. Platforms identified as non-compliant include Meesho, Instamart, Blinkit, Zepto, Lenskart, Snapdeal, Jio, Decathlon, and Myglamm.

Source: Outlook Business