Proposed: Mandatory ‘Country of Origin’ filter on E-Commerce platforms -Governance Now

Proposed: Mandatory ‘Country of Origin’ filter on E-Commerce platforms

The Dept of Consumer Affairs move aimed at enhancing consumer empowerment and transparency in online shopping

GN Bureau | November 10, 2025

#Department of Consumer Affairs #E-commerce #Business

(Illustration: Ashish Asthana)

The Department of Consumer Affairs of the central government has issued the Draft Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) (Second) Amendment Rules, 2025, proposing to make it mandatory for e-commerce platforms to provide searchable and sortable filters based on the 'Country of Origin' for packaged commodities sold online. This will enhance consumer empowerment and transparency in online shopping.

This amendment seeks to empower consumers to make informed purchasing decisions by allowing them to easily identify the origin of products while shopping online. The proposed feature will enable consumers to search and sort products by their country of origin, thereby enhancing transparency and reducing the time required to locate such information across vast product listings, an official release said on Monday.

In the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 in rule 6, in sub-rule (10) the following line is proposed to be inserted: “Provided that every e-commerce entity selling imported products shall provide a searchable and sortable filter for the country of origin, with their product listings.”

The draft amendment rules have been published on the department’s website for public consultation, and comments from stakeholders are invited up to November 22, at dirwm-ca[at]nic[dot]in, ashutosh.agarwal13[at]nic[dot]in, or mk.naik72[at]gov[dot]in. The draft notification can be accessed at the ministry’s Website here .

The amendment directly supports the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Vocal for Local’ initiatives by making ‘Made in India’ products easily discoverable. It ensures a level playing field for Indian manufacturers, helping domestic products gain equal visibility alongside imported goods and encouraging consumers to choose locally made alternatives. The introduction of country-of-origin filters will also assist in efficiently monitoring compliance, verifying product information and identifying violations without requiring manual review of each listing.

This proposed amendment marks another important step toward building a transparent, consumer-friendly, and competitive e-commerce ecosystem that aligns with national priorities and enhances consumer trust in digital marketplaces.

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