From 1 July 2026, any Indian shopping website that sells imported packaged goods must give you a searchable and sortable country of origin filter. That means you can sort or narrow a product listing by where the item was actually made before you add it to your cart. This comes from the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Amendment Rules, 2026, notified by the Department of Consumer Affairs.
Quick answer: The rule was notified through gazette notification G.S.R. 128(E) dated 13 February 2026 and took effect on 1 July 2026. It adds Rule 6(10A) to the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011. Every e-commerce entity selling imported pre-packaged products must now show them through a searchable filter and a sortable filter based on country of origin. This applies to marketplaces and to brands that run their own websites.
If you are short on time: jump to How to use the new country of origin filter below, then What to do if a website hides the country of origin.
Country of origin has always mattered to Indian shoppers, both for quality and for personal choice. Until now, sellers of imported packaged goods had to declare the country of origin somewhere in the listing, but you often had to open each product and scroll through the details to find it.
The 2026 amendment fixes that gap. It shifts the duty from the individual seller to the platform. The website itself must now build a filter, so you can see and compare origin across many products at once, the same way you already filter by price or brand.
The change sits inside the Legal Metrology framework, which is the same law that governs MRP, net weight, and mandatory declarations on packaged goods. The regulator is the Department of Consumer Affairs, under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
| Point | Before 1 July 2026 | From 1 July 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Where origin is shown | Buried inside each product page | Available as a filter across the listing |
| Who is responsible | The individual seller declares it | The e-commerce platform must build the filter |
| How you use it | Open and scroll each product | Search and sort the whole page by origin |
| Legal basis | Rule 6 declaration duty, 2011 Rules | New Rule 6(10A), 2026 Amendment |
Note: a Second Amendment, notified through G.S.R. 312(E) dated 27 April 2026, adds further obligations that start from 1 July 2027. So expect more origin and disclosure features to appear on shopping sites over the next year.
The rule covers imported pre-packaged commodities sold online. A pre-packaged commodity is any product packed before you buy it, in a fixed quantity, without you being present, such as electronics, cosmetics, food packets, toys, and household goods.
It applies to any e-commerce entity that sells such imported products. That phrasing is wide. It is not limited to large marketplaces. A direct-to-consumer brand that runs its own website and sells imported packaged goods is also covered.
It does not change the rules for goods made in India, and it does not replace the existing MRP, weight, and manufacturer declarations that must still appear on the label.
If a platform sells imported packaged goods but shows no origin filter at all after 1 July 2026, that is a compliance gap you can report.
You have a clear escalation path if a seller or platform will not show the country of origin.
For deeper guidance on framing and escalating an RTI, see The RTI Playbook.
Real example: Ravi, a shopper in Nagpur, wanted an air fryer that was not assembled from imported parts he distrusted. Before July 2026, he had to open 20 listings one by one to read the origin. After the new rule, he opened the appliances page, applied the Country of Origin filter, and shortlisted three models in under a minute. When one popular listing showed no origin at all, he took a screenshot and logged a complaint on the National Consumer Helpline at 1915.
It took effect on 1 July 2026. The parent notification, G.S.R. 128(E), was issued on 13 February 2026, which gave platforms a runway to build the filter before the enforcement date.
No. The searchable and sortable filter duty under Rule 6(10A) is aimed at imported pre-packaged products. Indian-made goods still carry their normal Legal Metrology declarations, but the new filter obligation is about imports.
It is under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, as amended by the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Amendment Rules, 2026. The parent statute is the Legal Metrology Act, 2009.
Yes. The rule uses the wide term e-commerce entity, which is not limited to big marketplaces. A brand that sells imported packaged goods through its own website is also expected to comply.
Report it. Complain on the platform first, then call the National Consumer Helpline on 1915, and file a written complaint with your state Legal Metrology department. You can also use RTI to ask what enforcement action was taken.
Yes, and it is the one that matters legally. The filter helps you shortlist quickly, but always confirm the declared country of origin on the product page before you pay.
Yes. A Second Amendment through G.S.R. 312(E) dated 27 April 2026 adds further obligations that begin on 1 July 2027, so more origin and disclosure features are expected on shopping sites.