Now Reading: FSSAI bans plastic, foil packaging for pan masala
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FSSAI bans plastic, foil packaging for pan masala
India's food safety regulator FSSAI has banned plastic and aluminium foil packaging for pan masala. Under the amended Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2026, manufacturers must use only paper, paperboard, cellulose,…
The Story in Brief
India's food safety regulator FSSAI has banned plastic and aluminium foil packaging for pan masala. Under the amended Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2026, manufacturers must use only paper, paperboard, cellulose, tin or glass containers, all completely free of plastic. The notification prohibits polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, PVC, laminates and metallised layers. The rules came into force upon publication in the Official Gazette on August 7. Environmental experts say the move reinforces an existing ban under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, and allows FSSAI to act directly against violators, plugging enforcement gaps.
The Indian Opinion
Some will call this a sudden blow to the pan masala industry. In truth, the Plastic Waste Management Rules already banned these sachets in 2016. What changes is enforcement: FSSAI can now penalise food businesses directly, bypassing weak state agencies. The real test is not the regulation but whether small roadside shops actually stop selling the small plastic packs. If the familiar red and white sachets vanish from paan shops within months, the rule will have teeth.
Sources (3): hindustantimes.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com, timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 3 sources.
