Department of Consumer Affairs Proposes for mandatory ‘Country of Origin’ filter

• 11 Nov 2025
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The Department of Consumer Affairs of the Government of India has issued the Draft Legal Metrology Packaged Commodities Second Amendment Rules 2025. This proposal aims to make it mandatory for e-commerce entities to include searchable and sortable filters, on their websites, on the basis of "Country of Origin" for packaged products that are sold online to the customers.

This initiative is designed to enhance consumer empowerment and build transparency when it comes to online shopping. The amendment seeks to help consumers in making informed purchasing decisions by allowing them to easily identify the origin of products while they are shopping online.

The proposed feature will enable consumers to search and sort products by their country of origin, which will enhance transparency and reduce the time needed to locate such information across extensive product listings.

According to the Legal Metrology Packaged Commodities Rules 2011 in Rule 6, Sub-rule (10), the following shall be added: "Provided that every e-commerce entity selling imported products shall provide a searchable and sortable filter for the country of origin, with their product listings."

The draft amendment rules have been published on the Department’s website for public consultation. Comments from stakeholders are invited until 22 November 2025 at the following email addresses:- dirwm-ca[at]nic[dot]in, ashutosh.agarwal13[at]nic[dot]in, or mk.naik72[at]gov[dot]in. The draft notification can be accessed on the Ministry’s website.

This amendment supports the Atmanirbhar Bharat and Vocal for Local initiatives. It does so by making Made in India products more discoverable. It aims to ensure a level playing field for Indian manufacturers and help domestic products they manufacture in gaining equal visibility alongside imported goods and encourage consumers to choose alternatives that are locally made. 

The introduction of country of origin filters will also assist in monitoring of compliance in an efficient manner. It’ll help to verify relevant product information as well as identify violations without necessitating manual reviews of each and every listing.

This proposed amendment by the department represents yet another significant step toward building a transparent, consumer friendly and competitive e-commerce ecosystem that aligns with the national priorities. Additionally, it enhances consumer trust within the digital marketplaces.

Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB)