The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on October 30, 2023, issued a notification regarding clarification with regard to the declaration of the address of the brand owner on food labels.
The following has been stated: -
•Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 stipulates labeling provisions for the declaration of the address of the brand owner on the labels of pre-packages food through the following provisions-
(i) sub-clause 5(6)(a) of the ibid regulations states that -The name and complete address of the brand owner, whether or not, he is the manufacturer, marketer, packer, or bottler, as the case may be, shall be declared on the label. Such name and address shall be preceded by the qualifying words "Manufactured by (Mfg by, Mfd by)" or "Marketed by (Mkt by)" or "Manufactured & Marketed by" or "Packed & Marketed by", as the case may be."
(ii) sub-clause (8)(5) of the regulations states that- The following labeling requirements are exempted if they are provided in a Barcode/Global Trade Identification Number (GTIN): (a) Address of the brand owner whether or not, he is the manufacturer, marketer, packer or bottler, as the case may be.
•In this regard, it is clarified that the aforesaid Regulations specify that the declaration of the address of the brand owner may be provided by the FBO either through text or Barcode/GTIN on the label. If the same has already been provided through a Barcode/Global Trade Identification Number (GTIN). the same need not be declared again through text and vice-versa.
•In view of the above, it is advised that while scrutinizing the labeling declarations of the Food Business Operators (FBOs), the above regulatory provisions should be diligently adhered to in case the FBO is compliant with them, including the declaration of the address of the brand owner through text or Barcode/GTIN only on the product label, etc., unnecessary actions including the issuance of notices to such FBOs may be strictly avoided.
The detailed notification is given in the document attached below.
[Notification No. File No. RCD-15001/6/2021-Regulatory-FSSAI-Part (2) (E-1788)]
