Is your oil pouch really 1L? Centre issues SOP for cos

Kolkata: Edible oil companies are advising consumers to check pack quantities before buying cooking oil, following the Centre’s directive to standardise packaging for the category.

Companies have to comply with the new norms by Sept 1.The Union consumer affairs ministry has issued an SOP for edible oil after complaints from consumers and companies that quantities varied across brands, especially in packs commonly perceived as “1 litre” pouches. While the actual quantity is usually printed on the back of the pack, most consumers do not check it.Under the new norms, standard pack sizes have been prescribed for major edible oils and blended edible oils.

The move is aimed at helping consumers compare prices across brands more easily and assess value for money accurately. Companies have also been directed to declare both volume and equivalent weight to improve transparency.Dhinal Brahmb, chief business officer of Budge Budge Refineries, which sells edible oil under the Doctors’ Choice brand, said the company would run an awareness campaign on the issue. “It was topsy-turvy packaging.

It used to be like a 1 litre pack. But, to compete with others, we introduced a 750 ml pack,” he said. The retail edible oil market for packs of up to 5 litres is estimated at 50,000 tonnes per month, dominated by soya and mustard oil.Emami Agrotech CEO Sudhakar Desai said that while non-standardisation is allowed in several other categories, consumer awareness in edible oil remains low despite its widespread use across all sections of society. “There is lot of unorganised players as well, and, there was duty free import from Nepal, which uses non-standard packaging,” he added.