Ministry of Consumer Affairs may release new rules for e-commerce companies: Sources

The Union Government is planning to notify a new set of regulations for e-commerce companies. "the Ministry of Consumer Affairs will be launching new regulations for e-commerce companies in April 2018," sources close to the development told Zee Business. According to them, under the new regulations, the e-commerce companies will be asked to provide all details related to the product that is being sold on the platform, .i.e. the website. Must have details including Maximum Retail Price (MRP), discounted price, place of manufacture, refund policy and consumer care details, where they can launch their complaints related to the products. 

In addition, the rules will also ask the e-commerce companies to solve the consumer complaints within a limited period of time. In cases, where they fail to give a solution to the complaints, the companies will have to provide the details of the place where the consumer should go with the complaint.  Apart from this, the rules will also make it compulsory for the e-commerce companies to follow the instructions provided under Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules.  Amazon India, Flipkart, Snapdeal, Grofers and Bigbasket are some of the leading e-marketplaces entities operating in the country. 

The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, were amended in June 2017 by the consumer affairs ministry to safeguard the interest of consumers and ease of doing business. The companies were given a six-month deadline to comply with the new rule. 

Amendments made are to safeguard the interests of consumers and ensure that ease of doing business norms come into force on January 1, 2018. 

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Background: The changes come in the backdrop of e-marketplaces posing new and complex consumer protection issues. The ministry has been receiving several complaints as regards to information deficit on online products/goods.