Crooked traders force oil pack change

The Indian edible oil market, valued at $4.39 billion in 2024, is projected to reach $6.49 billion by 2030

- Dhirendra Kumar

The government is planning to reinstate standard pack sizes for edible oil, two people said, after a spell of flexible norms saw traders short-changing customers.

Traders exploited the relaxed norms introduced in 2022 through amendments to the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, which allowed flexible packaging.

As a result, random sizes such as 800gm, 810gm, and 850gm are being sold in the market as 1kg packs, allowing sellers to charge full 1kg prices for lower quantities.

The practice has been flagged as unfair and deceptive, undermining consumer trust.

In response, the government now plans to bring back uniform pack sizes such as 5 kg, 2 kg, 1kg, 500 gm, and 200 gm for cooking oil to prevent pricing manipulation.