Consumer Rights Campaign Highlights Gaps in Online Product Information
The Importance of Transparency in Online Shopping
Is convenience worth sacrificing the essential information that shoppers deserve before making a purchase? A current consumer rights initiative is scrutinizing whether online retailers provide the same product details that customers would expect to find in physical stores. This initiative has uncovered instances where packaged goods are sold without crucial manufacturing and expiry dates, discrepancies between advertised and actual weights, and instances of damaged or spoiled items arriving well before their stated shelf life. The fundamental idea is straightforward: consumers purchasing packaged food, cosmetics, or other sensitive products online should receive the same information they would find on the physical packaging.
In light of this, inquiries were made to BigBasket regarding the absence of manufacturing and expiry dates on some of its product listings. The company's reply was succinct, stating that it "will not like to participate in this." This response is noteworthy. Prior to reaching out, the initiative reviewed various packaged items across BigBasket's grocery and cosmetics categories. Some listings lacked any manufacturing or expiry dates, while others displayed a best-before date accompanied by a disclaimer: "The expiry date shown here is for indicative purposes only. Please refer to the information provided on the product package received at delivery for the actual expiry date." This disclaimer prompts a critical question: if the online best-before date is merely "indicative" and may not correspond with the actual date on the product, what is the purpose of displaying it? BigBasket did not address this inquiry.
The initiative has granted BigBasket the opportunity to respond fully and posed two specific questions. The first inquired whether BigBasket wished to be noted as having declined to answer questions regarding manufacturing and expiry-date disclosures, which would be published in the absence of clarification. The second question asked if, considering the listings without dates, the company was certain it wanted to forgo the chance to confirm or clarify its current practices on record. As of the publication time, BigBasket had not responded to either question. This report will be updated if a response is received.
BigBasket is not the only platform under scrutiny. Similar checks on listings from Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, Zepto, and Flipkart Minutes revealed that manufacturing and expiry information was often missing at the point of sale. This trend is prevalent across the industry: dates that are printed on physical packaging are frequently absent from online listings. When asked to explain this inconsistency, the platforms have remained silent.
It is worth noting that Flipkart Minutes does provide the 'best before' date for products, yet the manufacturing date is still not included in the listings.
Regulatory Insights
The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Amendment Rules, 2017 mandate that digital marketplaces display the "best before" or "use by" date, including the month and year, for packaged products sold online. These regulations also require both online and offline sellers to provide essential product information, such as maximum retail price (MRP), expiry date, net quantity, manufacturer details, and consumer grievance contact information.
Additionally, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has instructed e-commerce food business operators to implement systems ensuring that every product listed on their platforms complies with the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020.
In October 2024, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) issued notices to several quick commerce platforms for failing to adhere to mandatory product-disclosure norms, giving them 15 days to respond. In December 2024, the FSSAI released an advisory urging quick commerce platforms to prominently display key product information, including manufacturing and expiry dates. Since then, the FSSAI has reportedly issued over two dozen notices to e-commerce food business operators for non-compliance with labelling and disclosure requirements.
Despite these regulations and repeated directives, many online listings still lack manufacturing and expiry details. Until this issue is resolved and enforced, consumers must remain vigilant about what information is missing from listings, and as demonstrated by BigBasket's response, it is up to the platforms to decide whether they will provide explanations.
The initiative's inquiries remain unanswered, and there is hope that BigBasket and other quick commerce platforms will prioritize consumers' right to know.