Govt introduces standard pack sizes for cooking oils to make price comparisons easier

The government has introduced fixed pack size norms for edible oils under the Legal Metrology framework, aiming to help consumers assess prices across brands more easily and make better buying choices.

The Department of Consumer Affairs has updated its Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) for deciding net quantity declarations and standard packaging sizes for edible oils and fats. Manufacturers, packers and importers have been given a three-month window to align with the revised requirements, according to an official statement.

The new framework allows edible oils to be sold in nine specified pack sizes, replacing the wide range of volumes currently used in the market. The standard sizes include 200 ml/g, 500 ml/g, 1 litre/kg, 2 litre/kg, 3 litre/kg, 4 litre/kg, 5 litre/kg, 15 litre/kg and 20 litre/kg.

The norms will cover major edible oils such as palm oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, mustard oil, groundnut oil, sesame oil, rice bran oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil and blended edible oils.

The department said the changes were finalised after discussions with leading edible oil industry associations, which together represent around 90 per cent of the country’s edible oil sector.

As part of the revised rules, packages that display edible oil quantity in volume will also have to mention the corresponding weight clearly, in line with the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011.

The updated requirements will apply to both locally produced and imported edible oils. However, packs smaller than 200 ml or 200 grams, along with minor edible oil categories, will remain outside the standardisation requirement to ensure consumers continue to have access to affordable small packs.

Companies can begin adopting the new standard pack sizes before the compliance deadline, the department added.

Indian Vegetable oil Producers’ Association (IVPA) President Sudhakar Desai welcomed the move, saying it would bring greater order to retail shelves and create a more balanced market environment. He said that while non-standard packaging was earlier allowed to provide flexibility to the industry, it had resulted in market distortion and confusion due to the rise of multiple pack sizes over the past few years.