The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution on Thursday issued new rules for packaging electronic goods making the QR code compulsory on the packaging with relevant information for products manufactured on or July 15 onwards, i.e. Friday.

If not mentioned as a QR code, the information should be part of the packaging, said the rules called the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) (Second Amendment) Rules, 2022, notified by the ministry. These shall come into force right away.

Citing relevant clauses and sections, the ministry said, "Provided that in the case of an electronic product which is manufactured or packed or imported after July 15, the package of such product shall, for one year from such date, declare the name of the manufacturer or packer or importer, as the case may be, on the package itself and such declaration shall also inform the consumers to scan the QR code for the address and other related information."

In case such information is declared through the QR Code and not declared on the package itself, the package of such product shall, for one year from such date, inform the consumers to scan the QR code for the common or generic name of the commodity and where such package contains more than one product, then for the name and number or quantity of each product.

Similar provisions have been mentioned for the size and dimension of the commodity, and for declaring the telephone number and e-mail address on the package itself. (AA/IANS)