Amid rising consumer complaints, food regulator FSSAI on Tuesday directed e-commerce players selling food items on their platforms to ensure a minimum shelf life of 30 per cent or 45 days before expiry, at the time of delivery to customers. According to an official statement, Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) convened a meeting with e-commerce Food Business operators (FBOs) to reinforce compliance requirements for e-commerce FBOs.
“The (FSSAI) CEO asked the e-commerce FBOs to adopt practices to ensure minimum shelf life of 30 per cent or 45 days before expiry at the time of delivery to the consumer,” the statement said. Rao, who chaired the meeting, clarified that any product claims made on e-commerce platforms must align with the information provided on the product labels and in adherence to FSSAI’s Labelling and Display Regulations.
He also cautioned the FBOs against making unsupported claims online.
“This would prevent misleading information and protect consumers’ right to accurate product details,” the regulator said. Rao highlighted the pivotal role of online platforms in protecting consumer health and promoting transparency. He reiterated the mandate that no FBO can operate on any e-commerce platform without a valid FSSAI license or Registration, emphasizing the critical need for regulatory compliance.
In a move to ensure safe food handling at every level, he instructed FBOs to implement proper training programs for delivery personnel, empowering them with essential food safety and hygiene protocols.
Additionally, Rao emphasized the importance of delivering food items and non-food items separately to the consumers to avoid potential contamination. In his concluding remarks, the CEO, FSSAI underscored the need for all e-commerce FBOs to adhere to food safety standards diligently.
He emphasized that a transparent, compliant, and accountable e-commerce food sector is vital for protecting consumer health and fostering confidence in digital food marketplaces. Recently issues related to the sale of near-expiry food products and those lacking expiry dates via digital commerce platforms have been flagged by several authorities. Last month, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) issued notices to quick-commerce and e-commerce players for failing to display MRPs and “best before” dates for perishables.
