Govt prescribes standard pack sizes for edible oils to facilitate price comparison, boost transparency

New Delhi: The government on Saturday said it has amended the standard operating procedure for determination of net quantity and standard pack sizes of edible oils and fats under the Legal Metrology framework, towards enhancing consumer transparency and promoting fair trade practices.

The Department of Consumer Affairs said the decision was taken after extensive consultations with major edible oil industry associations, representing nearly 90 per cent of the country’s edible oil sector. The new provisions will apply to both edible oils produced in India and imported edible oils.

The initiative seeks to address the growing proliferation of varying package sizes in the market, which often makes it difficult for consumers to compare prices and make informed purchasing decisions

With this, consumers will be able to compare prices across brands more easily and assess value for money accurately.

The revised SoP prescribes standard pack sizes for major edible oils and blended edible oils, including palm oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, mustard/rapeseed oil, groundnut oil, sesame oil, rice bran oil, cottonseed oil and corn oil.

The permitted standard pack sizes are: 200 ml/gram, 500 ml/gram, 1 litre/kg, 2 litre/kg, 3 litre/kg, 4 litre/kg, 5 litre/kg, 15 litre/kg and 20 litre/kg.

These standard sizes will help consumers compare prices across different brands more easily and make informed purchasing decisions.

“Packages below 200 ml or 200 grams will continue to remain outside the scope of standardisation, ensuring continued availability of affordable small packs for consumers. Minor edible oils have also been exempted from the standard pack size requirement,” said the statement.

If the quantity of edible oil is shown in litres or millilitres (volume), the package must also clearly mention the equivalent weight.

This requirement will be followed as per the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011. This will help consumers compare products of different brands more easily and make better buying decisions.

IANS