New Delhi: Consumers shopping for packaged food online may not be receiving the same information available in physical stores, with several leading e-commerce platforms allegedly failing to display manufacturing and expiry dates on product listings. The issue has reignited concerns over consumer rights, transparency and compliance with existing laws governing online retail in India.

While shoppers in brick-and-mortar stores can examine a product’s packaging before making a purchase, many online listings reportedly omit critical details such as the date of manufacture, best-before date and expiry date. Consumer rights advocates argue that this deprives buyers of the ability to make informed purchasing decisions.

The issue has gained attention even as regulatory authorities continue to tighten oversight of digital marketplaces.

FSSAI issues 27 notices to e-commerce platforms

According to information shared by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the regulator has issued 27 notices to e-commerce Food Business Operators (FBOs) in recent weeks regarding compliance with labelling and display requirements.

Despite these notices, complete compliance has reportedly not yet been achieved.

When questioned about the absence of manufacturing and expiry dates on product listings, several major quick-commerce and e-commerce platforms—including Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy Instamart, BigBasket, Amazon Now and Flipkart Minutes—reportedly did not provide a response.

Some companies sought additional time to respond, but no formal clarification had been issued as of June 29.

Existing laws require disclosure

India’s legal framework already mandates the disclosure of essential information on packaged goods.

Under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, read with the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, manufacturers are required to declare details including the date of manufacture, net quantity, maximum retail price (MRP) and best-before or use-by date on packaged commodities.

Recognising the growth of online shopping, the government amended the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules in 2017 to extend several disclosure requirements to e-commerce platforms, including the display of the “best before or use by date, month and year” where applicable.

Regulations strengthened as online shopping expanded

As India’s digital commerce ecosystem expanded rapidly, regulators introduced additional measures to improve consumer protection.

In 2020, FSSAI directed e-commerce Food Business Operators to establish systems ensuring that products sold through online platforms comply with the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations.

The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 further require online marketplaces to provide consumers with all information necessary for making an informed purchasing decision.

Although the rules do not specifically mention manufacturing or expiry dates by name, they require sellers to disclose information mandated under applicable laws, which includes labelling obligations under food safety and legal metrology regulations.

Experts call for stronger enforcement

Legal experts believe that India already has adequate legislation governing product disclosures and that the primary challenge lies in enforcement.

Sonam Chandwani, Managing Partner at KS Legal & Associates, said the current legal framework has evolved over the years to accommodate digital retail and does not necessarily require fresh legislation.

According to Chandwani, the focus should instead be on consistent enforcement and ensuring that online platforms recognise these disclosures as mandatory legal obligations rather than optional features.

She noted that as e-commerce continues to grow, the gap between legal requirements and the information displayed to consumers cannot be dismissed as a technical oversight.

Missing dates can affect consumer health

Medical experts also caution against treating expiry dates as a mere formality.

Dr Palaniappan Manickam, a US-based board-certified gastroenterologist, explained that expiry dates indicate when a product may no longer be safe for consumption, while best-before dates generally relate to quality, including taste, texture, aroma and nutritional value.

He noted that although some products may remain safe after their best-before date, consumers should have access to this information before deciding whether to purchase them.

Consumer rights remain central

Consumers can raise complaints regarding online purchases through the National Consumer Helpline and may also approach Consumer Commissions under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

However, consumer advocates argue that these mechanisms mirror remedies available for offline purchases and do not specifically address recurring issues related to missing product information on e-commerce platforms.

As online grocery shopping becomes increasingly common across India, consumer groups continue to emphasise that buyers should enjoy the same level of transparency online as they do when shopping in physical stores.

Conclusion

The legal framework governing product disclosures on e-commerce platforms already exists, but questions remain over its implementation. With FSSAI issuing multiple notices and experts calling for stricter enforcement, the debate now centres on ensuring that online shoppers receive complete product information—including manufacturing and expiry dates—before making a purchase.