Key Labelling Symbols Used on Indian Products

India uses a range of labelling symbols to convey product origin, composition, quality, purity, and environmental claims. For Prelims, the most important area is the legal backing of these symbols and the authorities that issue them. The system covers packaged commodities, food items, industrial goods, precious metals, agricultural produce, and geographically linked products.

Legal Metrology Framework

The statutory basis for packaged commodity labelling in India is the Legal Metrology Act, 2009. It governs standards for weights, measures, and packaged commodities across the country. The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, issued under this Act, prescribe mandatory declarations for pre-packaged goods sold in India.

These declarations include details such as net quantity, manufacturer information, and other consumer-facing particulars. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution administers legal metrology matters for packaged commodities. The principal display panel means the main visible surface of a package used for consumer information.

Origin-Based Labelling on Personal Care Products

The Legal Metrology Rules also provide for origin-based symbols on selected personal care products. The amended framework mandates a green dot for products of vegetarian origin and a red or brown dot for products of non-vegetarian origin. These symbols must be placed prominently at the top of the principal display panel.

• Covered products: soaps, shampoos, toothpastes, cosmetics, and toiletries.
• Placement rule: The symbol must appear at the top of the principal display panel.
• Purpose: To indicate product origin clearly for consumer choice and sensitivity.
• Earlier position: A similar requirement existed since 2014 under the 2011 Rules.
• Current legal form: The 2026 amendment inserted the provision as Rule 6(4A)(d) and omitted the earlier rule.

Food Safety Symbols for Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Products

For food products, the labelling system is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The symbols are mandatory for packaged food products and must be displayed on the principal display panel.

• Vegetarian symbol: A green-filled circle inside a square with a green outline.
• Meaning: The product contains ingredients, additives, or processing aids solely of plant origin.
• Non-vegetarian symbol: A brown-filled triangle inside a square with a brown outline.
• Meaning: The product contains any ingredient of animal origin, excluding milk or milk products and honey.
• 2021 update: The non-vegetarian mark was changed from a brown circle to a brown triangle to help colour-blind consumers distinguish it from the green symbol.
• Exam relevance: These symbols are central to food ethics, religious sensitivities, and consumer transparency.

Quality and Standardisation Marks

Several marks indicate quality, standardisation, or conformity with official norms. They are important because they show whether a product meets prescribed standards, purity norms, or certification rules.

• ISI Mark: Certifies that an industrial product conforms to an Indian Standard (IS) developed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
• BIS: India’s national standards body under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
• Use of ISI mark: Voluntary for many products, but mandatory for certain safety-critical items such as electrical appliances, medical equipment, and packaged drinking water.
• Historical note: The ISI mark has been in use since 1955.
• BIS Hallmark: Certifies the purity of gold and silver jewellery and artefacts sold in India.
• Mandatory hallmarking: For gold jewellery and artefacts of 14, 18, and 22 karats since June 2021.
• HUID: The Hallmark Unique Identification number is a six-digit alphanumeric code and became compulsory from April 2023.

Agricultural, Eco and Fruit Product Marks

Other certification marks help identify agricultural quality, environmental compliance, and food-processing standards. These marks are useful for distinguishing products that meet sector-specific norms.

• AGMARK: Stands for Agricultural Mark and certifies agricultural products in India.
• Authority: Issued under the supervision of the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection (DMI), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• Legal basis: The Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937, amended in 1986.
• Coverage: Applies to commodities such as pulses, cereals, essential oils, and fruits.
• Ecomark: A voluntary eco-labelling scheme launched in 1991 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• Issuing body: Certification is issued by BIS.
• Implementation: The scheme is implemented by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in partnership with BIS.
• Purpose: To identify products that meet specified environmental criteria and reduce ecological harm.
• FPO Mark: The Fruit Products Order mark is mandatory for processed fruit products sold in India.
• Function: It indicates manufacture in a hygienic, food-safe environment with prescribed hygiene and quality standards.

Geographical Indications (GI) Tag

A Geographical Indication (GI) tag identifies goods originating from a specific geographical region and links their qualities, reputation, or characteristics to that origin. It is an important intellectual property right because only authorised users from the notified region can use the name.

The GI system is administered by the GI Registry under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which came into force on September 15, 2003. Darjeeling Tea was the first Indian product to receive a GI tag, in 2004-05.

Key Prelims Takeaways

• Legal Metrology Act, 2009: Main law for packaged commodity labelling in India.
• Legal Metrology Rules, 2011: Prescribe mandatory declarations for pre-packaged goods.
• Principal display panel: Main visible surface used for consumer-facing information.
• Personal care symbols: Green dot for vegetarian origin; red or brown dot for non-vegetarian origin.
• Food symbols: Green circle for vegetarian food; brown triangle for non-vegetarian food.
• BIS marks: ISI for standard conformity and Hallmark for precious metal purity.
• AGMARK, Ecomark, FPO: Important marks for agricultural quality, eco-labelling, and processed fruit products.
• GI tag: Protects products tied to a specific geographical origin; Darjeeling Tea was India’s first GI tag.

Recent Context

The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Fourth Amendment Rules, 2026 were notified on September 21, 2026 and came into force on publication in the Official Gazette. They formally require origin-based symbols on selected personal care products and follow legal and judicial scrutiny around labelling rules, including proceedings before the Delhi High Court in February 2026.