The Legal metrology act describes a specific types of commodities covered under Legal Metrology Packaged commodity, where this license is mandatory for an importer, manufacturer and packager. After the commencement of the LMPC rules, no person or importer shall pre-pack or be permitted to do pre-packing any commodity for sale, distribution or delivery unless the pre-package commodity is pre-packed and bears a label securely affixed to it such declarations that are required to be made under these rules.
What Are The Types Of Commodities Covered Under Legal Metrology?
The followings are the types of commodities covered under legal Metrology and LMPC importer license that should be packed in weights, measurements or numbers.
| S.No. | Commodities | Quantities that are to be packed |
| 1 | Baby Food | 100g, 200g, 300g, 400g, 500g to 1kg, 2kg, 5 kg and 10 kg. |
| 2 | Weaning Food | 100g, 200g, 300g, 400g, 500g to 1 kg, 2kg, 5 and 10 kilo gram. |
| 3 | All types of Biscuits | Packages may involve 25g, 50g, 75g, 100g, 150g, 200g, 250g, 300g and multiples of 100g up to 1 kg. |
| 4 | Bread, brown bread(excluding bun) | 100g and Multiples of 100g |
| 5 | Un- canned package of butter | 25g to 5 kg, multiples of 5 kg |
| 6 | Cereals and pulses | 100g to 5 kg, multiples of 5 kg |
| 7 | Coffee | 25g to 1 kg, multiples of 1 kg |
| 8 | Tea | 25g to 1 kg, multiples of 1 kg |
| 9 | Materials may be that can be constituted as beverages | 25g to 1 kg, multiples of 1 kg |
| 10 | Edible oils, vanaspathi, ghee and butter | The edible oil packages shall be 50g, 100 grams, 200 grams, 500 grams, 1 kg, 2 kg, 3 kg, 5 kg, and after that, in multiples of 5 kg |
| 11 | Milk powder | Below 50g, no restrictions, 50g to 1kg, multiples of 500g |
| 12 | Detergent (in powder) | for below 50 g pack no restriction, 50g, 100g, 200g, 500g, 700g, 1kg, 1.5 kg, 2 kg and after that, in multiples of 1 kg. |
| 13 | Rice powder, flour, suji, rawa | 100g to 5 kg, multiples of 5 kg |
| 14 | Salt | Below 50g multiples of 10g, and multiples of 5kg |
| 15 | Soaps (bath soap, toilet soap, detergent soap) | 50g, 75g, 100g, and after that in multiples of 50g |
| 16 | Aerated soft drinks and non-alcoholic beverages | 65 ml (fruit-based drinks only), 100 ml, 125ml(fruit-based drinks), In cans, the ml can be 150 ml, 200 ml, 250 ml, 300 ml, 330ml, 500 ml, 750 ml, 1litre, 1.5 litres, 2 litres, 3 litres, 4 litres and 5 litre |
| 17 | Mineral and drinking water | In bottles with measurements of 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 500 and 750 millilitres, 1 litre, 1.5 litres,2 litres, 3 litres, 4 litres and 5 litres |
| 18 | Cement in bags | 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 25 kgs, 40 kg bag for White cement only, and 50 kg. |
| 19 | Paint(solid paint, base paint, enamels), varnish | 100g, 1 kg, 1.5 kg, 2 kg, 3 kg, 5 kg, 7kg and after that, multiple of 5 kg and for base paints(450 millilitres, 500 ml, 900 ml, 925 ml, 950 ml, 975 ml, 1 litre, 3.6 litres, 3.7 litre, 3.8 litres, 3.9 litres and 4 litres and no restriction above 4 litres) |
| 20 | Aerosol products | weight |
| 21 | Fruits all kinds | Number of weight |
Declarations That Are To Be Made On Every Package by the Importer
- Every types of commodities covered under legal metrology Act shall bear the following declaration in a definite declaration made in accordance with the provisions of the law.
- The name and address of the manufacturer, importer and packer shall be mentioned in the package.
- Should mention the common or generic names of the commodity in the package, and in case the packages with more than one product, then each name and number or quantity of each product shall be mentioned on the package.
- The package should contain a net quantity of the products in terms of the standard unit of weight or measure. If the commodity is pre-packed and sold by number, then the number of the commodity contained in the package shall be mentioned.
- The pre-packaged commodity should contain the month and year manufactured or imported.
- The retail sale price of the package.
- If the package contains exact dimensions of the commodities, then it should be mentioned in the packages. If the dimensions of the commodity contained in the package are different, the dimensions of each such different piece shall be mentioned.
- Every package should possess the name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address of the person available, who can be contacted in case of consumer complaints.
- The package is permissible to affix individual stickers on the package for altering or making a declaration about the products.
Declarations of Importers Concerning Dimensions of Certain Types of Commodities under the Legal Metrology Act
If the package contains certain types of commodities covered under legal metrology like bed sheets, hemmed fabric materials, dhoties, sarees, napkins, pillow covers, towels, table cloths and any other similar other commodities, their number and the dimensions of the finished size of such commodities should be mandatorily declared on the package.
If the packaged commodities contain more than one piece of different dimensions, then the package should contain a declaration of each product’s dimensions and the retail sale price of each piece.
Declarations of a Commodity When It Is In a Wholesale Package
Every wholesale package shall bear the following declarations:
- The name and address, and details of the manufacturer or importer, or packer.
- The identity of the commodity and the net quantity of products in terms of standard units of weights, measures or the number of the commodity contained in the wholesale package.
Exemption In Respect Of Specific Types of Commodities Covered Under Legal Metrology
The following exemptions need not follow the rules and conditions of the Legal metrology pre-packaged commodities (LMPC) rules, 2011.
- If the net weight or measure of the commodity is 10 grams or 10 millilitres or less then it is exempted from LMPC rules, provided the declaration in respect of maximum retail price and net quantity shall be declared on packages containing 10g to 20g or 10ml to 20ml.
- Any package containing fast food items packed by restaurants or hotels
- If the package contains scheduled formulations and non-scheduled formulations covered under the Drugs (Price Control) Order,1995, made under section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955[1] (10 of 1955)
- The agricultural products in packages of above 50 kg
Conclusion
Different types of commodities covered under Legal Metrology rules and regulations. So every importer or manufacturer handling these products should follow all the procedures mentioned in the Legal Metrology Act. If any of the importers or manufacturers who deal with the pre-packaged commodity does not comply with the rules and regulations of the Legal Metrology act may amount to penalization.
Also Read:
How To Apply For LMPC Importer License? Step-By-Step Guide
