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Since the online shopping and meals delivery markets are quite dynamic, the regulatory authorities have had to be very proactive in order to safeguard consumer’s health and food quality. On November 12, 2024, e-commerce food business operators (FBOs) met with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to discuss crucial compliance procedures.
The discussion under the Chairmanship of the CEO of the FSSAI was centred on an emergent need, whereby e-commerce FBOs need to adhere to food safety laws and standards most closely.In order to enhance the quality of foods and the supply chain services in the sphere of e-commerce, it was stated that the advise includes the following recommendations.
New enforcement framework focuses equally at performing some regulatory activities such as maintaining food quality, guaranteeing the truthfulness of food description, and ensuring adequate training of delivery personnel. The FSSAI wan͏ts to boost trust from customers and help improve health standards in India's fast growing online food market by applying these rules!
Shelf Life and Product Quality Standards
The criteria for product shelf life are the subject of one of the most important revisions. The FSSAI has required that e-commerce FBOs must guarantee products have a minimum residual shelf life of either 30 percent or 45 days at the time of delivery to consumers. This criterion aims to ensure that consumers get products of acceptable quality and are fresh. The policy ensures that the customer has enough time to safely consume the products bought and tackle concerns about delivering food items that are near their best before date through online markets.
Licensing and Claims Verification
Before using any e-commerce platform, the authority confirmed that all FBOs must have current FSSAI licenses or registrations. Strict rules have also been put in place concerning online product promises. These statements must adhere to the FSSAI's Labelling and Display Regulations and accurately reflect the data on product labels. This alignment reduces the likelihood of misleading consumers and protecting consumer interests because speeches and descriptions that are online must correspond to actual characteristics of products.
Image Credit: Freepik
Delivery Protocol Enhancement
The FSSAI has issued comprehensive general requirements for delivery, noting that delivery workers should be given sufficient instructions of food hygiene standards. To avoid any contamination, a noteworthy new requirement is the distribution of food and non-food items separately. Food products are guaranteed to remain intact during delivery and arrive at consumers' locations in the best possible condition according to this segregation approach. The rules highlight that the final mile is important to maintaining food safety standards .
Implementation and Compliance Measures
The necessity of applying these principles consistently across all e-commerce food platforms is emphasised in the new recommendation. FBOs must set up effective monitoring systems to make sure that shelf life regulations are followed, that product information is kept up to date, and that delivery procedures are followed. The FSSAI has underlined the fact of the need in these measures to build the customer confidence in the online food Marketplaces and to ensure the sustainable growth of the industry adhering to the strict safety standards.
Image Credit: Freepik
A proactive commitment to raising food safety standards in the e-commerce industry is shown by the FSSAI's recent advise. To boost public confidence in the online food business, India can protect consumer health by ensuring that the food offered has a minimum shelf life, being assertive in ensuring that product descriptions are correct, ensuring delivery personnel are trained and promoting compliance.
