DoCA mandates declaration of retail price on all pan masala packs from February 1

Earlier, small packs of pan masala of 10 gm or less were exempted from mandatory declaration of RSP on the label

The Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) is set to make it mandatory for all pan masala packs of every size and weight to display Retail Sale Price (RSP) among other declarations on the labels effective February 1. The Ministry said this will ensure clear pricing information and facilitate the effective implementation of RSP-based GST levy on pan masala.

The Ministry has brought in the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Second (Amendment) Rules, 2025 in this regard.

Earlier, small packs of pan masala of 10 gm or less were exempted from mandatory declaration of RSP on the label. Now, makers will need to ensure the RSP is declared on the labels. Also, all pan masala packages must display every declaration required under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, the Ministry stated.

“The previous proviso under Rule 26(a), which allowed small pan masala packs to avoid certain declarations, has now been withdrawn with the insertion of a new proviso specific to pan masala,” the official statement added.

Consumer protection

“The amendment significantly strengthens consumer protection by ensuring that buyers have transparent and clear pricing information for every pack size, prevents misleading or deceptive pricing on smaller packs, enables consumers to make better informed purchasing decisions,” it added.

By mandating RSP on all packages, the amendment facilitates the effective implementation of RSP-based GST levy on pan masala, it added. “This will ensure seamless enforcement of GST Council decisions and proper tax assessment and revenue collection across all pack sizes including the smallest units,” the statement added.

Published on December 3, 2025