What’s the point of invisible or unreadable details on packaged food items, asks government?

Government is considering changing the 2011 commodities packaging rules so that the details on the packaged food items are printed in a more visible and readable manner. The change would also mean incorporating a barcode-kind of system so that consumers can be safeguarded from spurious products.

The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011 states the font size that need to be printed on the packets of consumable items, but most companies do not follow strictly, leading to font size being unreadable. This is why the US standard on font size is under consideration, said a senior official from the Consumer Affairs Ministry.

The font size for a food packet ranging from 200 grams/ml up to 500 grams/ml would be doubled, from 2 mm to 4 mm, while packets above that would have a font size of 8 mm.

Coming to the barcode, this would help the government in distinguishing products made in India from those made in other countries, so that sale of fake food items can be stopped.

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