‘Veg’ or ‘Non-veg’: Centre makes labelling mandatory for cosmetics

New Delhi: Consumers will now be able to identify whether soaps, shampoos, toothpaste and other cosmetics contain ingredients derived from animals, with the Centre making vegetarian and non-vegetarian labelling mandatory for such products.

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has amended the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, to introduce the requirement. The amendment came into force on Monday.

Under the revised rules, products made exclusively with plant-based or plant-derived ingredients and containing no animal-derived components must carry a green dot at the top of the principal display panel.

Products containing ingredients of animal origin will have to display a red or brown dot in the same location.

The amendment to sub-rule 4A specifies that soaps, shampoos, toothpaste, other cosmetics and toiletries must carry a red or brown dot if they are of non-vegetarian origin, and a green dot if they are of vegetarian origin.

The move is aimed at helping consumers identify the composition of personal-care products more easily and make purchasing decisions based on their preferences.

A similar labelling requirement for personal-care products was introduced through an amendment in 2014 under Rule 6(8). The provision followed a petition filed by advocate Rajat Aneja, who argued that consumers have a fundamental right to know whether products they use contain material derived from animals.

The latest amendment expands and clarifies the requirement for cosmetics and toiletries, bringing products such as shampoos, soaps and toothpaste explicitly under the veg/non-veg identification system.