Now Reading: E-commerce COO rules lack pre-verification, Livemint analysis finds
-
01
E-commerce COO rules lack pre-verification, Livemint analysis finds
India's e-commerce rules now require platforms to display the country of origin (COO) for imported goods, but do not mandate that the platform or any regulator verify the information before it reaches…
India's e-commerce rules now require platforms to display the country of origin (COO) for imported goods, but do not mandate that the platform or any regulator verify the information before it reaches consumers, according to a legal analysis of the current framework.
The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Amendment Rules, 2026, inserted Rule 6(10A) mandating a searchable COO filter. This was later amended to take effect from July 1, 2027. The rules, read with the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, oblige sellers to disclose COO and platforms to display it, but the framework relies entirely on seller declarations.
Enforcement is reactive: the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) and state Legal Metrology departments act only after a consumer reports a discrepancy between the listing and the delivered product. By then, the misleading information has already influenced the purchase. Consumers can also approach consumer dispute redressal commissions for an unfair trade practice claim under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
The analysis notes that in physical retail, COO can be checked on packaging during inspections, but in e-commerce no equivalent pre-publication verification exists.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The gap between a disclosure mandate and a verification requirement is the central issue here. The 2026 amendment adds a COO filter but kicks its enforcement to July 2027, effectively buying time. India's e-commerce market is projected to reach Rs 7.6 lakh crore by 2030, per an industry estimate, and imported goods form a significant share. The reliance on post-purchase complaints puts the burden on consumers, who must spot the discrepancy and file a complaint. The CCPA's 2021 action against misleading COO declarations shows enforcement is possible, but only after harm has occurred. The next date to watch is July 1, 2027, when the filter requirement becomes enforceable.
A more structural reform would be a pre-listing verification mechanism, perhaps by integrating with customs data or requiring platforms to audit a sample of listings. Without that, the new rule remains a paper requirement.
Source: livelaw.in
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
