QR Code on Electronic Products under Legal Metrology

What is Legal Metrology

Legal Metrology treats units of weighment and measurement, methods of weighment and measurement and weighing and measuring instruments, in relation to the mandatory technical and legal requirements which have the object of ensuring public guarantee from the point of view of security and accuracy of the weighments and measurements. Legal metrology is the application of legal requirements to measurements and measuring instruments.

It deals with the monitoring and regulation of manufacturing and import of weighing and measuring instruments and devices.

• The provisions of Legal metrology applies to:
  • Persons who are using any weight or measure in any transaction or Industrial Production or Protection
  • Manufacturer, Retailer, Wholesaler, trader, Repairer of any weight or measure, Importer and/or Packer of any item related to weight, measure and numbers.
• Govt. allows Electronic Products to declare information via QR code

Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities), (Second Amendment) Rules 2022

The Department of Consumer Affairs has amended the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 vide gazette id CG-DL-E-14072022-237289 dated 14^th July, 2022 and has released the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities), (Second Amendment) Rules 2022. It has allowed the electronic products to declare certain mandatory declarations (descriptive in nature) through the QR Code for a period of one year, if not declared in the package itself.

• Applicable:

They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette i.e. on the electronic product which is manufactured or packed or imported after the 15^th July, 2022.

• Key Highlights:

1. Declare the elaborated information in the digital form through the QR Code.

2. The Department of Consumer Affairs makes it mandatory for electronic products to declare certain mandatory declarations through the QR Code for a period of one year, if not declared in the package itself.

3. Important declarations to be declared effectively on the label in the package while the other descriptive information can be conveyed to the Consumer through the QR Code.

4. Timeline: for a period of one year from such date.

5. Descriptive information:

• address of the manufacturer or packer or importer,
• the common or generic name of the commodity,
• the size and dimension of the commodity &
• customer care details except the telephone number & e-mail address.

Declarations shall inform the consumers to scan the QR code for the address and other related information in case such information is declared through the QR Code and not declared on the package itself.

6. Earlier, all the prepackaged commodities including the electronic products are required to declare all the mandatory declarations as per the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities), Rules 2011 on the package. 

Important Note: 

Except information that is needed during the purchase of a specific electronic item — MRP (incl. of all taxes), name of manufacturer/importer, customer support details, unit sales price, month/year of manufacture and country of origin, which will remain on the label — all other mandatory declarations can be stored and read digitally through the QR code.

• Link of the notification: Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) (Second Amendment) Rules, 2022

Through this notification, the ministry has allowed to mention the important declarations to be declared effectively on the label in the package while the other descriptive information can be conveyed to the consumer through the QR Code. This is a significant move to simplify labelling using digital QR code under a law.

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For any query / clarification on FSSAI, Legal Metrology and related provisions / laws, please connect @: cslalitrajput@gmail.com .

Disclaimer: The contents of this write – up are for information purposes only and does not constitute an advice or a legal opinion and are personal views of the author. In no event the authors shall be liable for any direct, indirect, special or incidental damage resulting from or arising out of or in connection with the use of this information.