Declarations on Alcohol Beverages

Date : 2022-04-25

Packaging and selling alcohol, and liquor in India come under the law of custom and Excise and the declarations made on the bottles come under the law of Legal Metrology on Alcohol. In the same way, numerous laws apply to the packages of food and other related products in India, these laws are the safeguards to the interest of the general public and impose restrictions on the product of food available in the market, and for the same purpose, IMPC registration is important.

It is required for the advertisement with certain restrictions to mention the retail sale price of prepackage of the bottle, any packer, importer, or seller can take the guidance from ELT Legal Metrology to fulfil the requirement on the bottle of Liquor.

Here we are also going to talk about the Legal Metrology on declarations on Alcohol Beverages and the act which ensures the higher quality of the product in India. The trade of cigarettes and their commercialization is commercialized and we turn after these certain restrictions imposed on it by the COPTA Act, 2003 which prohibits the advertisement and regulations of trade and commerce production, supply, and distribution.

 

Labeling And Declarations on Liquor or Alcohol

The liquor warning labels and regulations came into force from first April 2019. Where it was specified that the declarations should be made on the bottle of the liquor and what are the necessary steps that shall be taken by the manufacturer, seller, importer of the liquor or alcohol.

The Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages Standards) Declarations, 2018 prescribes warning labels on liquor bottles. The country's biggest food Act issued the notifications which state the transition.

One year was given to the Food Business Operator (FBOs) under which it was clarified that the food business operators have to comply with the provisions of the regulations that came into force on April 1st, 2019.

The label of the liquor shall contain the following declarations:

1. The Alcohol Content should be mentioned on the beverage of alcohol
2. No nutritional data
3. Allergen warning
4. Restriction on words such as non-intoxicating, or any word having the similar meaning on the label of beverages containing more than 0.5% volume of alcohol
5. No health claims
6. Liquor bottle shall mandatory to have warnings such as consumption of alcohol is injurious to health, and be safe-don't drink and drive
7. The above-mentioned rule also prescribed the language of the warning and the warning should be printed in English and/ or one or more regional or local language.
8. Bottles up to 200mm for alcoholic beverages shall have all the capital letters on the label which should not be less than 1.5mm high
9. The bottle which is 200mm must obtain the letters of a 3mm beverages of bottle
10. As per the notification the six months' time was allowed for the use of old unused labels and printed cans
11. Any alcoholic beverages which are manufactured before April 1st, 2019 were sold in the market up to 31st March 2020 only, no one was allowed to sell such bottles after 31st March 2020
12. FSSAI stated that implementation of parameters for yeast in various categories of bears and different from the modification of certain specific provisions for alcoholic beverages such as

• the tolerance limit for ethyl alcohol,
• the insertion of a new category of Indian Brandy,
• the regulation regarding low alcoholic beverages,
• regulations regarding malt whiskey,
• the limit of water and alcoholic beverages,
• dry wine along with geographical indication (GI).

13. The regulations have been referred to these several countries such as

• South Africa,
• Turkey,
• Mexico,
• the United States, etc. the same help been able to implement the regulations

14. In 2017 the PIL (Public Interest Litigation) was filed by the founder of the Community Against Drunken Driving and the PIL was filed in the Delhi High Court seeking directions from FSSAI to mention the statutory warning on the beverages of alcohol.

Laws Related to Alcohol in India

LMPC registration is necessary under the several laws regarding food in packages of India that work as a safeguard to the food products consumed by the consumers some of them are given below, in the same way, there are various laws governing the Alcohol Regime in India, are given below:

Laws Governing the Alcohol Regime in India

Laws that regulate the sale and consumption of alcohol differ from state to state, however the permission to consumption of alcohol can be done after attaining a certain age. The legal drinking age also differs from state to state and for the different types of alcohol privileges. State wise regulatory laws act differ from state to state for governing the alcohol regime in India Such as:

• Adman Nicobar Island the drinking age is 21
• In Andhra Pradesh the drinking age is 18
• In our natural Pradesh drinking age is 21
• In Assam, the drinking age is 21
• In Chandigarh, the drinking age is 25
• In Chhattisgarh drinking, the age is 21
• In Delhi, the drinking age is 21
• In Goa, the drinking age is 18
• In Haryana, the drinking age is 21
• In Himachal Pradesh drinking age is 18
• In Jammu Kashmir the drinking age is 18
• In Jharkhand, the drinking age is 21
• In Kerala, the drinking age is 23
• In Ladakh, the drinking age is 18
• In Jammu and Kashmir the drinking age is 18
• In Karnataka the drinking age is 18
• In Madhya Pradesh the drinking age is 21
• In Maharashtra the drinking age for beer is 21 and for the other alcohol consumption is 25
• In Manipur the drinking age is 21
• In Meghalaya, the drinking age is 21
• In Punjab the drinking age is 25
• In Rajasthan, the drinking age is 18
• In Sikkim the drinking age is 18
• in Tamil Nadu drinking age is 21
• In Uttar Pradesh, the drinking age is 21
• In a dragon drinking, the age is 21
• In West Bengal, the drinking age is 21
• For language drinking, the age is 21
• Indra Pura drinking age is 21

Every state has three different legislations that regulate the export, import, manufacture, bottle, purchase, sale, transport, consumption, or use of potable alcohol.

The law of Delhi permits the individual to stock 18 liters of wine, cider, Indian and foreign liquor which includes rum, gin, whiskey at home or parties.

In case any person is traveling from any other state then such persons cannot carry more than one liter of liquor. However, the people who are coming from abroad can bring two liters of foreign liquor with them.

NL 49 License for Liquor

NL 49 license can be obtained from the exercise department with a fee of rupees 2000 to carry more than the prescribed amount.

There are several states in which the consumption of alcohol is banned such as the state of Bihar, Tripura, Lakshadweep, Mizoram (Partially banned in some districts), Gujarat, and Nagaland.

 

The Cigarette & Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003

1. The Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 is also known as COPTA. The Act prohibits the advertisement and regulations of trade and commerce production, supply, and distribution.
2. The act is the principal comprehensive law governing tobacco control in India.
3. As per the act any person who is dealing with cigarettes or other tobacco products is prohibited to direct advertising through many forms of mass media. However, the tobacco companies may still advertise and add the point of sale which are subject to the restrictions.

The 40% of front panel of the package shall contain the health warning labels are pictorial and text and the same should rotate every 24 months.

Author : ELT Consultants