The FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) has given a final deadline for food businesses to use pre-printed packaging materials. They’ve asked these businesses to use such materials by December 31, 2023. The FSSAI decided to allow final one-time permission until December 31, 2023, for food businesses that want to use pre-printed packaging materials that don’t fully follow the FSS (Labelling & Display) Regulations of 2020 and its changes.
The FSSAI also changed the fee that food businesses need to pay to use pre-printed packaging materials. The fee for those with a central licence is Rs. 30,000 plus GST, and for those with a state licence, it’s Rs. 12,000 plus GST. This fee should be paid using the FSSAI’s e-payment portal.
According to the FSSAI, if a business needs permission to use pre-printed packaging materials because they changed their address, company name, or licence number, the application will be processed following the old instructions from November 23, 2016. The fee will also be the same as the order from November 14, 2017.
In the past, food businesses were allowed to use pre-printed packaging materials for six months after paying a fee of Rs 6,000, as stated in notifications from FSSAI.