Government orders E-Commerce sites to show MRP & other details of products from next year on

In an effort to protect online consumers, the government has recently made it rule for e-commerce companies from January 2018 to print not only the MRP on goods but also explain information like expiry date and customer care details.

A modification in this regard has been made to the Legal Metrology (Packaged commodities) Rules, 2011 by the consumer affairs ministry last month. Further, a six-month limit has been issued to the companies to obey with the new rule.

"Consumers deserve the same protection online as offline. At present, only MRP (maximum retail price) is printed on the goods sold online. We have asked the companies to declare additional details on the label," a senior official in the consumer affairs ministry said.

All along with MRP, the companies should also have to announce the manufacturing date, expiry date, net quantity, country of origin and consumer care details on the label, he said.

As per the official, sufficient time has been allotted to the companies for obeying with the new norms. From January 2018, it is been made a must that goods sold via e-commerce platform should have all these declarations else the companies will face severe action.

Also, it is been advised to the companies to make these declarations in bigger font size so that consumers can effortlessly read the same.

The changes come in the background of e-marketplaces posturing novel and multifaceted consumer guard issues with the ministry getting quite a few complaints as regard to information deficit on online products/goods.