The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued an order clarifying compliance obligations for e-commerce Food Business Operators (FBOs) operating under the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) model. Recognizing the decentralized structure involving multiple entities such as buyer apps and seller apps, FSSAI has clearly demarcated responsibilities to ensure food safety, transparency, and traceability. Seller apps are primarily responsible for providing accurate product information, regulatory compliance, agreements with sellers, and ensuring product authenticity, while buyer apps must display such information, enable grievance mechanisms, and ensure expired products are not listed. Obligations related to delivery, shelf life, and consumer information are shared or assigned based on operational roles. The revised framework also mandates central licensing for all such entities and introduces system changes in FoSCoS for better traceability. Effective from 1 April 2026, the order aims to streamline compliance in the evolving ONDC ecosystem.
FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS AUTHORITY OF INDIA
(A Statutory Authority established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006)
Regulatory Compliance Division
FDA Bhawan, Kotla Road,
New Delhi – 110002
File Number 2020(31)15 :/FoSCoS/RCD/FSSAIpt4 (E-1887)
Dated, the 18 March, 2026
ORDER
Subject: Compliance obligations of E-commerce FBOs in the context of Open Network for Digital Commerce model – reg.
As per FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Business) amendment Regulations, 2021 (operationalised), E-commerce FBO means any Food Business Operator carrying out any of the activities in Section 3(n) of the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006, through the medium of e-commerce. Furthermore, E-commerce entities that provide a listing/directory of FBOs or food products and facilitate orders/transactions on their website shall require a central FSSAI license.
2. Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), an initiative of the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), recently came up with a decentralised and open network model. In this model, a single transaction involves multiple entities, such as buyer-side platforms (called Buyer Apps) and seller-side platforms (called Seller Apps). This is in contrast to the existing model of e-commerce, wherein all functions are managed by a single entity.
3. Based on representations from ONDC, FSSAI reviewed the extant regulations applicable to e-commerce FBOs, especially in respect of the open network model. Accordingly, the clear demarcation of liabilities and rationalised obligations divided between the entities involved in this model is at Annexure 1, which will come into effect from 1 April, 2026.
4. Further, to capture the information and traceability regarding the buyer app and seller app in FoSCoS, the existing E-commerce KoB has been revised accordingly.
5. This issues with the approval of the Competent Authority.
(Sweety Behera)
Director (Regulatory Compliance)
Encl – As stated above.
To:
1. All Food Business Operators
2. Commissioners of Food Safety of all States/UTs
3. Directors of all Regional Offices, FSSAI
4. Shri Devendra Damle, Vice President (Policy), ONDC
5. CTO, FSSAI – with a request for uploading on the FSSAI website
Copy for information to:
1. PPS to Chairperson, FSSAI
2. PS to CEO, FSSAI
3. Secretary DPIIT
4. Executive Director – Compliance Strategy / Advisor Science & Standards
5. Director (Legal)/Director (Regulations)/Director (Science & Standards), FSSAI
Annexure 1
| S. No | Applicable Provisions | Open network based model where a single transaction involves Multiple entities (ONDC model) | |
| Seller app | Buyer app | ||
| 1. | Display License/Registration obtained under the FSS Act and Regulations and hygiene grading of FBO | Obligation to provide information and accuracy of information is with the seller app | Obligation to display the provided information is with the buyer app |
| 2. | Sign an agreement with the sellers/brand owners/ manufacturers averring that the said ‘sellers/brand owners/ manufacturers’ are compliant with FSS Act and Rules and Regulations and the liabilities shall rest with these FBOs. |
Agreement to be
made between |
– |
| 3. | The ‘sellers/brand owners/ manufacturers’ who display or offer any ‘pre- packed food’ for sale to the customers, either on their own e-commerce platform or on the marketplace based model of ecommerce, shall ensure that legible and clear picture of the ‘principal display panel’ of such pre-packed food is made available for viewing by the customers, except batch number/lot number, best before, expiry date, date of manufacturing/packing and MRP. |
Obligation to provide a legible and clear picture of the ‘principal display panel’ is with seller app |
Obligation to display the provided information is with the buyer app |
| 4. | Any food article delivered to consumer by e- commerce FBO shall have shelf life of 30 percent or 45 days before expiry at the time of delivery to the consumer.Provided that in case of caters or restaurant receiving order through electronic media only fresh food item shall be delivered to the consumer. |
Obligation to provide information and accuracy of information at the time of placement of the order is with the seller app | Obligation to ensure no food products are listed after the use by date or date of expiry is with the Buyer app.
Further, the obligation to display shelf life-related information provided by Additionally, if the last- mile delivery person is |
| 5. | Mandatory food information mentioned in the FSS Act, Rules and Regulations made thereunder shall be provided to the consumers without charging supplementary costs. The relevant mandatory food information should also be available before the purchase is concluded. |
Obligation to provide information and accuracy of information is with the seller app | Obligation to display the provided information is with the buyer app |
| 6. | It shall be ensured by the ecommerce FBOs that the last mile delivery is undertaken by trained delivery personnel and the safety of food product is not compromised at the time of delivery. |
Obligation is with the delivery entity or seller/buyer app facilitating the delivery, as the case may be. | |
| 7. | E-commerce FBOs shall ensure that no misleading information/ false claims to the product or misleading images of food products are made available or shown on their platform. | Obligation is with the seller app | – |
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| 8. | The e-commerce FBO/entities shall immediately delist any food products listed on their platform, which are not in compliance with the FSS Act or Rules or Regulations, made thereunder. |
Obligation is with the seller app. | In case information is
received at the Buyer |
| 9. | Display seller app details for consumer | Obligation to provide the Seller App name, FSSAI license number is with Seller App | Obligation to display seller app information, including license/registration details, is with the buyer app |
| 10. | FSSAI license/registration number on cash receipts/Invoices/cash memo/bills etc. |
Obligation is with Seller Apps/Sellers to ensure that FSSAI license/registration number are provided on the invoice issued to the consumers. |
Buyer Apps should provide functionality to consumers to download the invoice in digital form.
The said digital invoice should contain the |
| 11. | Display of information in food service establishments like calorie, allergen, veg non veg logo, nutritional value etc.
E-commerce Food Business Operators shall get the above mentioned information from |
Obligation to provide information and accuracy of information is with seller app |
Obligation to display theprovided information is with the Buyer App |
| 12. | License applicability (only central license) | Yes | Yes |
| 13. | Consumer Grievance Handling | Seller App will be responsible to address consumer grievances arising out of its responsibilities under the FSSto Act and Regulations made thereunder. |
Buyer App will be responsible to provide a facility to consumersraise and track complaints;
|
[Note: For any compliances not specified above, the responsibility for food safety and traceability shall rest with all food businesses involved in executing the transactions]
