FSSAI Issues Advisory to Enhance Food Safety in E-Commerce Sector

FSSAI Issues Advisory to Enhance Food Safety in E-Commerce Sector. On December 3, 2024, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) released an important advisory aimed at addressing food safety concerns in the rapidly expanding e-commerce food sector. This move emphasizes FSSAI’s commitment to ensuring that food products sold online meet strong safety and quality standards. It comes as a response to rising consumer complaints about poor hygiene practices, expired food items, and labelling discrepancies on platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart.
The advisory lays down complete guidelines for e-commerce food businesses, emphasizing transparency, accurate labelling, and proper training for delivery personnel. It aims to address consumer concerns while fostering trust and reliability in online food transactions.
Background: The Growth of the E-Commerce Food Sector
India’s e-commerce sector has witnessed exponential growth in recent years, particularly in the food delivery and grocery segments. Platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, BigBasket, and Instamart have made it convenient for consumers to access food from local restaurants, grocery stores, and supermarkets. However, the increasing reliance on online food delivery has also highlighted significant challenges in maintaining food safety and quality.
Complaints of expired or near-expiry products, contamination, and poor labelling practices are common. Unsanitary storage conditions in small, unregulated warehouses and transportation issues further exacerbate the problem. These concerns prompted the FSSAI to engage with key stakeholders in the quick-commerce sector and issue this advisory.
Key Provisions of the FSSAI Advisory
The FSSAI’s advisory introduces several measures to improve food safety and hygiene standards. These provisions address critical areas such as delivery personnel training, product claims accuracy, shelf-life requirements, and license display. Below is a detailed overview:
1. Delivery Personnel Training
The advisory underscores the importance of training delivery personnel to ensure food safety during transit. Proper training programs will focus on the following aspects:
-Safe Handling and Transport of Food: Delivery personnel must be educated on storing food at appropriate temperatures, avoiding cross-contamination, and handling food carefully to prevent damage or contamination.
-Personal Hygiene Standards: High personal hygiene standards are mandatory. Delivery staff should wear clean uniforms, wash hands regularly, and use gloves when handling food items.
-Separate Delivery for Food and Non-Food Items: Food items must not be transported alongside non-food items such as cleaning supplies or personal care products to eliminate risks of contamination.
These measures ensure that food reaches consumers in a safe and hygienic condition.
2. Accurate Product Claims
E-commerce platforms must ensure that the claims made about food products on their sites align with the information on product labels. This provision addresses the following concerns:
-Consumer Trust: Misleading claims, such as labelling a product “100% sugar-free” without supporting evidence, can erode consumer confidence.
-Regulatory Compliance: Platforms must adhere to the FSSAI’s Labelling and Display Regulations, which mandate transparency and factual accuracy in food marketing.
3. Minimum Shelf-Life Requirements
The advisory mandates that all food products sold online must have at least 30% of their shelf life remaining at the time of delivery. For instance, a product with a 150-day shelf life must have at least 45 days remaining at the time of sale. This provision protects consumers from receiving expired or near-expiry products, ensuring freshness and safety.
This measure is particularly crucial for packaged foods like snacks and beverages, where near-expiry items pose significant health risks.
4. Displaying FSSAI License Information
To enhance transparency, the advisory requires food sellers on e-commerce platforms to display their FSSAI License (FSSAI State License & FSSAI Central License) or registration number prominently. This serves two purposes:
-Building Consumer Trust: Displaying the FSSAI license reassures consumers that the seller complies with food safety standards.
-Facilitating Verification: Consumers can verify the seller’s legitimacy and ensure they are purchasing from a credible source.
5. Mandatory Licensing for Food Sellers
Only food sellers with a valid FSSAI license or registration are allowed to operate on e-commerce platforms. This provision ensures that all sellers meet the required safety standards, reducing the risk of unsafe food entering the market.
Enforcing Compliance
The FSSAI has made it clear that non-compliance with these guidelines will result in penalties. E-commerce platforms and food sellers must implement the necessary systems and processes to adhere to these standards. Key measures include:
-Training Programs: Platforms must organize training sessions for delivery personnel, focusing on hygiene, safe handling, and contamination prevention.
-Audits and Monitoring: Regular audits of listed food sellers will be necessary to ensure compliance with the FSSAI’s regulations.
-Complaint Resolution Mechanisms: Platforms must establish robust systems to address consumer complaints related to product quality, labelling, and hygiene.
Impact on E-Commerce Food Platforms
The advisory’s implementation will have far-reaching implications for e-commerce platforms like Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit, and Zepto. These platforms will need to invest in infrastructure, training, and monitoring to meet the new standards. Key changes include:
-Enhanced Transparency: Platforms will need to ensure accurate product claims and display FSSAI licenses and hygiene ratings for all vendors.
-Improved Training: Comprehensive training programs for delivery personnel will be mandatory to maintain hygiene and safety standards.
-Stronger Consumer Feedback Systems: Platforms must address consumer complaints more effectively, fostering trust and satisfaction.
Benefits of the Advisory
The FSSAI’s advisory offers various benefits for consumers and businesses alike:
For Consumers:
-Assurance of fresh, safe food.
-Accurate product information.
-Transparency in vendor credentials.
For Businesses:
-Enhanced consumer trust and loyalty.
-Simplified operations through clear regulatory guidelines.
-Competitive advantage for compliant sellers.
Challenges and Opportunities
While the advisory marks a significant step forward, implementing these measures may pose challenges for some businesses. Smaller vendors, in particular, may struggle to meet the new requirements without additional support. However, the advisory also presents an opportunity for e-commerce platforms to differentiate themselves by prioritizing food safety and transparency.
Conclusion
The FSSAI’s advisory is an important initiative to enhance food safety in India’s e-commerce sector. By addressing key issues such as hygiene, labelling, and product quality, the guidelines aim to build a safer and more trustworthy online food marketplace. Although the implementation will require significant effort from e-commerce platforms and food sellers, the long-term benefits for consumers and the industry are undeniable.
As the regulatory framework evolves, businesses must adapt to meet these standards, ensuring a safer and more reliable e-commerce ecosystem for food products. For assistance with FSSAI Registration and FSSAI compliance, book a consultation with us at info@ccoffice.in or Call/Whatsapp us at 9988424211.

On December 3, 2024, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) released an important advisory aimed at addressing food safety concerns in the rapidly expanding e-commerce food sector. This move emphasizes FSSAI’s commitment to ensuring that food products sold online meet strong safety and quality standards. It comes as a response to rising consumer complaints about poor hygiene practices, expired food items, and labelling discrepancies on platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart.

The advisory lays down complete guidelines for e-commerce food businesses, emphasizing transparency, accurate labelling, and proper training for delivery personnel. It aims to address consumer concerns while fostering trust and reliability in online food transactions.

Background: The Growth of the E-Commerce Food Sector

India’s e-commerce sector has witnessed exponential growth in recent years, particularly in the food delivery and grocery segments. Platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, BigBasket, and Instamart have made it convenient for consumers to access food from local restaurants, grocery stores, and supermarkets. However, the increasing reliance on online food delivery has also highlighted significant challenges in maintaining food safety and quality.

Complaints of expired or near-expiry products, contamination, and poor labelling practices are common. Unsanitary storage conditions in small, unregulated warehouses and transportation issues further exacerbate the problem. These concerns prompted the FSSAI to engage with key stakeholders in the quick-commerce sector and issue this advisory.

Key Provisions of the FSSAI Advisory

The FSSAI’s advisory introduces several measures to improve food safety and hygiene standards. These provisions address critical areas such as delivery personnel training, product claims accuracy, shelf-life requirements, and license display. Below is a detailed overview:

1. Delivery Personnel Training

The advisory underscores the importance of training delivery personnel to ensure food safety during transit. Proper training programs will focus on the following aspects:

-Safe Handling and Transport of Food: Delivery personnel must be educated on storing food at appropriate temperatures, avoiding cross-contamination, and handling food carefully to prevent damage or contamination.

-Personal Hygiene Standards: High personal hygiene standards are mandatory. Delivery staff should wear clean uniforms, wash hands regularly, and use gloves when handling food items.

-Separate Delivery for Food and Non-Food Items: Food items must not be transported alongside non-food items such as cleaning supplies or personal care products to eliminate risks of contamination.

These measures ensure that food reaches consumers in a safe and hygienic condition.

2. Accurate Product Claims

E-commerce platforms must ensure that the claims made about food products on their sites align with the information on product labels. This provision addresses the following concerns:

-Consumer Trust: Misleading claims, such as labelling a product “100% sugar-free” without supporting evidence, can erode consumer confidence.

-Regulatory Compliance: Platforms must adhere to the FSSAI’s Labelling and Display Regulations, which mandate transparency and factual accuracy in food marketing.

3. Minimum Shelf-Life Requirements

The advisory mandates that all food products sold online must have at least 30% of their shelf life remaining at the time of delivery. For instance, a product with a 150-day shelf life must have at least 45 days remaining at the time of sale. This provision protects consumers from receiving expired or near-expiry products, ensuring freshness and safety.

This measure is particularly crucial for packaged foods like snacks and beverages, where near-expiry items pose significant health risks.

4. Displaying FSSAI License Information

To enhance transparency, the advisory requires food sellers on e-commerce platforms to display their FSSAI License (FSSAI State License & FSSAI Central License) or registration number prominently. This serves two purposes:

-Building Consumer Trust: Displaying the FSSAI license reassures consumers that the seller complies with food safety standards.

-Facilitating Verification: Consumers can verify the seller’s legitimacy and ensure they are purchasing from a credible source.

5. Mandatory Licensing for Food Sellers

Only food sellers with a valid FSSAI license or registration are allowed to operate on e-commerce platforms. This provision ensures that all sellers meet the required safety standards, reducing the risk of unsafe food entering the market.

Enforcing Compliance

The FSSAI has made it clear that non-compliance with these guidelines will result in penalties. E-commerce platforms and food sellers must implement the necessary systems and processes to adhere to these standards. Key measures include:

-Training Programs: Platforms must organize training sessions for delivery personnel, focusing on hygiene, safe handling, and contamination prevention.

-Audits and Monitoring: Regular audits of listed food sellers will be necessary to ensure compliance with the FSSAI’s regulations.

-Complaint Resolution Mechanisms: Platforms must establish robust systems to address consumer complaints related to product quality, labelling, and hygiene.

Impact on E-Commerce Food Platforms

The advisory’s implementation will have far-reaching implications for e-commerce platforms like Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit, and Zepto. These platforms will need to invest in infrastructure, training, and monitoring to meet the new standards. Key changes include:

-Enhanced Transparency: Platforms will need to ensure accurate product claims and display FSSAI licenses and hygiene ratings for all vendors.

-Improved Training: Comprehensive training programs for delivery personnel will be mandatory to maintain hygiene and safety standards.

-Stronger Consumer Feedback Systems: Platforms must address consumer complaints more effectively, fostering trust and satisfaction.

Benefits of the Advisory

The FSSAI’s advisory offers various benefits for consumers and businesses alike:

For Consumers:

-Assurance of fresh, safe food.

-Accurate product information.

-Transparency in vendor credentials.

For Businesses:

-Enhanced consumer trust and loyalty.

-Simplified operations through clear regulatory guidelines.

-Competitive advantage for compliant sellers.

Challenges and Opportunities

While the advisory marks a significant step forward, implementing these measures may pose challenges for some businesses. Smaller vendors, in particular, may struggle to meet the new requirements without additional support. However, the advisory also presents an opportunity for e-commerce platforms to differentiate themselves by prioritizing food safety and transparency.

Conclusion

The FSSAI’s advisory is an important initiative to enhance food safety in India’s e-commerce sector. By addressing key issues such as hygiene, labelling, and product quality, the guidelines aim to build a safer and more trustworthy online food marketplace. Although the implementation will require significant effort from e-commerce platforms and food sellers, the long-term benefits for consumers and the industry are undeniable.

As the regulatory framework evolves, businesses must adapt to meet these standards, ensuring a safer and more reliable e-commerce ecosystem for food products. For assistance with FSSAI Registration and FSSAI compliance, book a consultation with us at info@ccoffice.in or Call/Whatsapp us at 9988424211.