What information is required on food product labels in India?

Food products sold in India generally need to comply with both the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules and FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) labelling regulations, which together typically require the FSSAI licence number, ingredient list, nutritional information, allergen declarations, and manufacturing and expiry or best-before dates, alongside the standard Legal Metrology declarations.

FSSAI regulations exist specifically to address food safety information beyond what Legal Metrology rules require, since food products carry additional consumer safety considerations such as ingredient transparency and allergen awareness that general packaged goods do not. The 14-digit FSSAI licence or registration number of the manufacturer is a widely cited food-specific requirement that applies alongside, not instead of, Legal Metrology declarations such as net quantity, MRP, and manufacturing date.

Because food labelling sits at the intersection of two regulatory frameworks, and because FSSAI standards are periodically updated, brands should verify current requirements directly against FSSAI’s official regulations and guidance for their specific food category, ideally with input from a regulatory compliance professional, rather than relying on general summaries. This is particularly important for claims such as nutritional content, organic certification, or health claims, which are subject to specific substantiation requirements under FSSAI rules that vary by the nature of the claim being made.