The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued an Order revising the fees and timeline for use of pre-printed packaging material which are non-complying with the FSS (Labelling & Display) Regulation, 2020 and its amendments. This Order was issued on 2nd August, 2023.
FSSAI has stated that it has received applications from Food Business Operators (FBOs) requesting permission to use pre-printed packaging materials (PPMs) that do not comply with the FSS (Labelling & Display) Regulation, 2020, and its amendments.
In response to the situation, the FSSAI has taken a decision to provide a final one-time permission to FBOs seeking to use such non-compliant PPMs. The permission is granted until 31st December 2023, allowing FBOs a temporary period to use the existing packaging materials while ensuring that the necessary changes are made to comply with the regulations.
To avail of this one-time permission, FBOs will need to pay a revised fee. For those holding a central license, the fee stands at Rs. 30,000/- + GST, while for state license holders, the fee is Rs. 12,000/- + GST. All payments must be made through the designated e-payment portal.
It is essential to note that any FBOs seeking permission to use pre-printed packaging material due to changes in address, company name, or license number will have their applications processed under the existing instructions, as outlined in the order No. 12(2)2016/FBO Representation/Enf/FSSAI dated 23rd November 2016. The applicable fee for such applications will be as per the order No. 12(2)2017/FBO Representation/Enf/FSSAI dated 14th November 2017.
