Govt to enforce 'Best Before' date on grocery platforms after consumer group push

The Legal Metrology Department and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have separately confirmed that they will enforce mandatory display of Best Before Dates for human consumption products sold on e-commerce and quick commerce apps and websites. The move comes after a LocalCircles survey found that 48% of online grocery shoppers still cannot find the Best Before Date displayed on most platforms. The findings were shared with FSSAI and the Legal Metrology Department on June 18, 2026.

Under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Amendment Rules, 2017, packaged human consumption products listed on e-commerce websites and apps must display a clear Best Before or Use By date, including the day, month and year, at the point of digital sale. This would allow consumers to check the remaining shelf life before placing an order, similar to how they can check the date on products in a physical store.

The LocalCircles survey received 17,133 responses to the question about how consumers find Best Before information online. While 13% said the date was displayed on all apps and websites, another 13% said it was displayed on most platforms. Twenty-one per cent said they could find it on some apps and websites, while 13% said it was displayed on only a few platforms. As many as 35% said they could not find the Best Before Date on any app or



website.

Overall, 48% of online grocery shoppers surveyed said they still could not find the Best Before Date on most platforms. The figure has improved from 57% in 2024, but the improvement has been only nine percentage points.

FSSAI's Food Safety and Standards Amendment Regulation 2020 requires e-commerce and quick commerce platforms to deliver packaged food with at least 30% of shelf life remaining or 45 days before expiry. Following an escalation by LocalCircles in October 2024, FSSAI warned some platforms against selling consumables with missing or near expiry dates. However, there had been no direction to display Best Before Dates on apps and websites.

5 OF 8 PLATFORMS FOUND NON-COMPLIANT

LocalCircles assessed eight major online grocery platforms and found five non-compliant with the requirement to display Best Before Dates on packaged food products. Amazon Now, BigBasket and Flipkart Minutes were found compliant in the June assessment. Some platforms displayed only shelf life, which LocalCircles said does not tell consumers when the product expires.

The survey covered consumers across 164 districts of India, with 61% men and 39% women among respondents. LocalCircles said it will share the findings with FSSAI, Legal Metrology and the Central Consumer Protection Authority and conduct a follow-up assessment to track compliance.