Legal Metrology vs FSSAI: Which Rules Apply to Your Packaging?

A packaging design may look attractive, communicate the brand effectively and pass internal quality checks, yet still have labelling compliance issues.

The reason? Packaging in India may need to comply with different regulatory requirements, depending on the product, how it is packed and how it is sold.

Two important frameworks are the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 and the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Their objectives are different, but both may apply to the same food package.

So let’s look at what each one covers, where they differ, and how to check declaration letter heights before you approve the artwork.

What is Legal Metrology?

Legal Metrology deals with standards of weights and measures. It protects consumers by making sure that declarations on packaged commodities are accurate and transparent.

For applicable pre-packaged commodities, the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 prescribe declarations about the product, its quantity, its price and the business responsible for it, subject to the applicable provisions and exemptions.

Depending on the package and the rules that apply, the declarations may include:

• Name and address of the manufacturer, packer or importer, as applicable.
• Common or generic name of the commodity.
• Net quantity in the prescribed unit.
• Month and year of manufacture, packing or import, where required.
• Maximum Retail Price (MRP), inclusive of all taxes, where required.
• Consumer care details.
• Unit sale price or other declarations, where applicable.

Why it matters: missing information, an inaccurate declaration or an inadequate letter height can create a compliance problem even when the packaging material and the print quality are excellent.

Official reference: Department of Consumer Affairs – Legal Metrology Act and Packaged Commodities Rules.

What is FSSAI labelling compliance?

FSSAI is the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. Its regulations govern food safety and related requirements, including how food products are labelled and displayed.

The Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 prescribe labelling requirements for pre-packaged foods, subject to the applicable provisions and exemptions.

Depending on the food product and the regulations that apply, a label may need to include:

• Name of the food.
• List of ingredients.
• Nutritional information.
• Allergen declarations.
• Vegetarian or non-vegetarian symbol.
• Name and address of the brand owner, manufacturer or other relevant food business operator.
• FSSAI logo and the applicable licence or registration number.
• Net quantity and other applicable declarations.
• Batch or lot identification.
• Date marking, such as manufacture, packing, best-before or use-by information, as applicable.
• Storage instructions and directions for use, where required.

Specific requirements vary by food category. Certain foods carry additional declarations, while some information may be exempt or subject to special provisions.

Why it matters: a food package must communicate the relevant product information accurately and legibly. Claims or graphics that mislead consumers can also create compliance issues.

Official reference: FSSAI – Labelling and Display Regulations and Amendments.

Legal Metrology vs FSSAI: the key differences

Area	Legal Metrology	FSSAI
Primary objective	Consumer protection relating to weights, measures and packaged commodity declarations	Food safety and food labelling
Main framework	Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, as amended	Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, as amended
Typical declarations	Net quantity, MRP, manufacturer, packer or importer details, and other applicable declarations	Ingredients, nutrition, allergens, food identification and other applicable food declarations
Letter height and legibility	Prescribed requirements apply to the relevant declarations	Legibility, prominence and specific labelling requirements apply; certain declarations have additional requirements
Products covered	Applicable pre-packaged commodities, subject to exclusions and exemptions	Applicable food products and food business operators
Who should review the artwork	The relevant manufacturer, packer, importer or brand owner	The relevant food business operator and its compliance team

Important: these regulations are not alternatives to one another. Where both apply, satisfying one does not automatically establish compliance with the other.

Why declaration letter height matters

One common mistake in packaging artwork is assuming that text which is visible on a computer screen, or readable on a printed sample, automatically satisfies the regulations.

That is not necessarily true.

Certain declarations have prescribed minimum letter or numeral dimensions. The measurement that applies can depend on the declaration, the package type, the area of the principal display panel and the specific regulatory provisions.

For example, the net quantity declaration, the MRP and other required information may be governed by different placement, size or legibility requirements. For food labels, the FSSAI regulations also contain specific size requirements for certain declarations.

A packaging designer should therefore verify the requirement for each declaration, instead of applying one font size to the whole artwork.

Common artwork mistakes to watch for

1. Text that is too small for a required declaration.
2. Mandatory information placed in a crowded or low-contrast area.
3. A declaration required for this specific product left out.
4. An incorrect quantity, price, date or licence number.
5. A change made to the artwork without repeating the compliance review.
6. Assuming that approval by the customer or the printer confirms legal compliance.

All of these are easier, and far less expensive, to correct before cylinders, plates, printing materials or production runs are committed.

How to check your packaging before printing

Use this checklist when you review artwork for a food product or another applicable packaged commodity.

1. Identify the product category. Is it food, a non-food commodity, or a product covered by a special regulatory framework?
2. Identify the applicable regulations. Check whether Legal Metrology applies, whether FSSAI applies, and whether any additional requirements govern the product.
3. Prepare a declaration checklist. List every mandatory declaration for the product, and confirm the wording, units, figures, dates, addresses and licence details with the responsible business or its compliance team.
4. Check letter height and placement. Verify the dimensions and placement of each declaration against the applicable rules. Do not rely only on the font size shown in the artwork software.
5. Review readability. Check contrast, spacing, print quality and legibility at the actual size of the finished package.
6. Approve the final artwork. Make sure the approved artwork is the version sent for printing, and repeat the compliance review whenever relevant information or the layout changes.

Use the free GPN Pack Label Ruler

To make these checks easier, GPN provides a free online tool: the GPN Pack Label Ruler. It helps you measure declaration letter heights as part of your artwork review.

It is particularly useful for:

• Packaging designers and prepress teams.
• Flexible packaging converters.
• Food manufacturers and brand owners.
• Label and carton manufacturers.
• Packaging quality and compliance teams.

Recommended practice: use the ruler to check the dimensions, then verify those measurements against the current requirement for that particular declaration and package.

The tool is an aid to measurement. It is not a substitute for a complete regulatory review or legal approval.

Who is responsible for packaging compliance?

Packaging compliance usually involves several people, each with a different part of the job.

• Brand owners and food business operators confirm the product information, the claims and the applicable declarations.
• Packaging designers put the approved information on the artwork accurately and keep it legible.
• Packaging manufacturers and printers follow the approved artwork and flag apparent printing or production issues.
• Quality and regulatory teams review the applicable requirements, verify the declarations and approve the artwork under the company’s own procedures.

Responsibilities depend on the applicable law, each business’s role and the specific circumstances. A printer should not assume that customer-approved artwork is necessarily compliant.

The takeaway

Legal Metrology and FSSAI address different aspects of packaging compliance, and both may be relevant to a single product.

Before approving packaging artwork, confirm which regulations apply, check every required declaration, verify the letter dimensions and review the final printed result. A few minutes of careful checking before printing can prevent avoidable artwork corrections, wasted material and production delays.

Check your packaging today: use the free GPN Pack Label Ruler to verify declaration letter heights before you send your artwork for printing.

Related reading: Your recycled content target doubles in 2027. Who is supplying it? and The tax rule that turned your unpaid invoice into your customer’s problem.

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Sources: Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, as amended (Department of Consumer Affairs); Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, as amended (FSSAI). This article is general information and education, not legal advice or a certification of compliance. Requirements, amendments, exemptions and effective dates change: before approving artwork, consult the latest rules, notifications and official guidance, and take professional regulatory advice where necessary.