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India label requirements for packaging

Pre-packaged food sold in India follows the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Every packaged commodity — food or not — also follows the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011: the MRP inclusive of all taxes, the unit sale price, the month and year of manufacture, the net quantity and a consumer-care contact. Here is what goes on the pack, and how to lay it out.

Checked: 25 October 2026

Mandatory items

Food: FSSAI Labelling and Display Regulations, 2020

Regulation 5 lists what a pre-packaged food carries: the name of the food on the front, the list of ingredients, the nutritional information, the veg or non-veg declaration, the food additives, the name and complete address of the brand owner (“Mfd. by”, “Mktd. by”, “Packed by”…), the FSSAI logo and licence number, the net quantity, the MRP and consumer-care details, the batch number, the date marking, the country of origin of imported food, instructions for use where needed, and allergens.

Declarations are in English or in Hindi in Devanagari script; any other language may be added beside them, and must not contradict them (regulation 4(5)). The letters and figures on the principal display panel are at least 1 mm tall up to 100 cm², 2 mm up to 500 cm², 4 mm up to 2,500 cm² and 6 mm above (Table I) — more when they are moulded or embossed.

The veg and non-veg mark

Vegetarian food carries a green filled circle inside a square with a green outline; non-vegetarian food (meat, fish, egg…) a brown filled triangle inside a square with a brown outline — the triangle replaced the old brown circle in 2020. The mark sits on the principal display panel, on a contrasting background, close to the name or brand. Its least size follows the panel: a 3 mm circle in a 6 mm square up to 100 cm², 4 mm in 8 mm up to 500 cm², 6 mm in 12 mm up to 2,500 cm², 8 mm in 16 mm above. Mineral and packaged drinking water, carbonated water, alcoholic drinks, liquid milk, milk powder and honey are exempt.

Nutritional information

Per 100 g or 100 ml (or per single-serve pack): energy (kcal), protein, carbohydrate with total sugars and added sugars, total fat with saturated fat and trans fat, cholesterol and sodium. The serve size and the number of serves are stated, with each serve’s percentage of the RDA reckoned on 2,000 kcal, 67 g fat, 22 g saturated fat, 2 g trans fat, 50 g added sugar and 2,000 mg sodium. In July 2024 the Food Authority approved printing total sugar, salt and saturated fat in bold and larger letters. Packs of 100 cm² or less, unprocessed single-ingredient foods and spices are among the exemptions.

Dates, batch and allergens

“Date of manufacture or packaging” and “Expiry / Use by” are both printed; “Best before” may be added. Up to three months of shelf life the date is DD/MM/YY; longer, the month and year, the month in capitals (OCT 2026). The dates are grouped in one place, with the storage conditions when the date depends on them. Allergens are declared as “Contains …”.

Every packaged commodity: Legal Metrology

Rule 6 of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 asks for the name and address of the manufacturer, packer or importer, the common or generic name, the net quantity in standard units, the month and year of manufacture, the retail sale price as “MRP ₹ … (inclusive of all taxes)”, and the name, address, telephone number and e-mail of the person to contact for complaints. Since 2022 the unit sale price is printed beside the MRP — ₹ per gram, kilogram, millilitre, litre or piece — unless the MRP already is the price of one unit. Imports carry the country of origin.

Under rule 7, net-quantity figures are at least 1 mm tall up to 200 g, 2 mm up to 500 g and 4 mm above, when printed.

Laying it out in Drint

1. In the studio, click Insert → Product label and choose the market India and the goods group (food under FSSAI, or other packaged goods).
2. Paste the client’s English text, and Hindi beside it if wanted — Drint does not translate.
3. Choose Veg or Non-veg: Drint draws the mark at the size the regulation gives for the front panel and places it there.
4. Tick FSSAI logo to leave a frame for the official file next to the licence number.
5. Insert → Nutrition table → Table (India) builds the Nutritional Information with per 100 g, per serve and % RDA.
6. Check in Export lists the items still missing and any text below the minimum size.

Lay out the label in Drint

Questions

A summary written to design packs, not legal advice. Check the Gazette texts, the FSSAI standard for your product and its latest amendments, and the official FSSAI logo with your client or a regulatory consultant before printing.