Products sold on e-commerce websites and medical devices declared as drugs, such as stents, will have to compulsorily carry Maximum Retail Prices and other essential information on them from 2018, as per the government’s new labelling rules, PTI reported on Thursday.

Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has approved amendments to the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, which will come into effect on January 1, 2018.

“Products on e-commerce platforms [will have to] to display declarations required under the amended rules,” the official statement said. “Medical devices declared as drugs [have been] brought under the rules.”

The amended rules also prohibit dual MRPs from being printed on products, “unless allowed under any law”. The government stated that medical devices and products were being sold according to the paying ability of the customer, despite MRP marked on these products.

The government believes that the new rules will benefit consumers at large as there are complaints against dual MRPs for items sold at public places, such as cinema halls, airports and malls. “Goods displayed by sellers on e-commerce platforms should contain declarations required under the rules such as the name and address of the manufacturer, packer and importer, the name of the commodity, net content, retail sale price, consumer care complaint, dimension etc,” the statement explained.

Among other changes introduced is an increase in the font size of numerals and letters on labels so consumers can read them easily. E-coding has also been introduced, while bar coding and QR coding have been made voluntary.

The provisions on declarations on food products have also been brought in line with the labelling regulations under the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006.