FSSAI 2024 Packaging Rules: India Foodservice Compliance

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is the apex regulator for food safety in India. FSSAI’s packaging rules, particularly the 2018 Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations and subsequent amendments, define what packaging is permitted in foodservice and FMCG operations across India.

Current FSSAI framework (2024-2026)

FSSAI’s packaging regulations operate alongside three other major frameworks:

1. Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016 (amended 2022): covers plastic-specific requirements
2. Single-Use Plastic Ban 2022 (extended 2024): prohibits identified SUP categories
3. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Rules: mandates collection and recycling for plastic packaging

For foodservice operators, FSSAI compliance covers:

• Material composition and food-contact safety
• Migration limits (substances that may transfer from packaging to food)
• Labelling requirements
• Recyclability and disposal markings

What FSSAI permits for foodservice

Compliant foodservice packaging materials in India:

• Bagasse and other agro-fibre molded products: explicitly permitted, exempt from EPR registration
• Paper and paperboard: permitted with food-contact certification
• Glass: permitted
• Aluminium: permitted with food-contact certification
• Compliant plastics: only specific polymers (PET, PP, HDPE, LDPE) with specific food-contact grades; many plastic categories now banned under SUP rules

What’s banned under the SUP framework

The Single-Use Plastic Ban (effective July 2022, extended 2024) prohibits:

• Plastic stirrers, cutlery, plates, glasses
• Polystyrene foam containers
• Plastic flags, balloons, candy sticks
• Wrapping films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, cigarette packs
• Plastic banners less than 100 microns
• PVC banners less than 100 microns

For foodservice specifically, this means polystyrene clamshells (still common in 2022) are now non-compliant. Replacement options include bagasse molded fiber clamshells and compostable takeaway containers, paper-board (PFAS-free), and aluminium.

EPR registration and brand-owner liability

EPR rules require brand owners (the entity whose name appears on the consumer-facing packaging) to:

• Register with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
• Submit annual EPR action plans
• Achieve specified collection and recycling targets
• Pay fees if targets are missed

For QSR chains, hotel groups, and FMCG brands operating in India, this creates a significant administrative overhead for plastic packaging.

Bagasse and other compostable agro-fibre packaging is exempt from EPR registration, materially simplifying the compliance overhead.

What FSSAI compliance documentation looks like

A compliant foodservice packaging supplier should provide:

1. FSSAI registration certificate (covering manufacturing or import facility)
2. Material composition declaration with food-contact grade certification
3. Migration test results from accredited Indian labs (CIPET, SGS India, Intertek India)
4. Heavy metals and toxic substances declaration
5. EPR registration (for plastic-content packaging only, exempt for bagasse)

What buyers should verify

When evaluating an Indian foodservice packaging supplier:

• Confirm FSSAI registration status: verifiable through fssai.gov.in
• Request migration test reports dated within the last 12 months
• Check that test reports cover the specific SKUs ordered (different products require different tests)
• For plastic packaging: verify EPR registration and current collection targets
• For compostable packaging: confirm material composition matches the food-contact standard

Common pitfalls

• “FSSAI registered” vs “FSSAI licensed”: Small operators register; larger operators license. Confirm the right one for the supplier’s scale.
• Expired migration test reports: Reports older than 12 months should be re-issued before procurement signoff.
• Ambiguous material declarations: “Bagasse-based” without specific composition disclosure can hide PFAS coatings or other additives.

Ecofy’s FSSAI position

Ecofy operates with current FSSAI registration covering all bagasse molded fiber SKUs manufactured at the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) facility. Migration test reports from CIPET, SGS, and Intertek are issued annually and made available to buyers on request. PFAS-free declaration is included with all standard documentation.

Ecofy’s compostable bagasse plates and bagasse bowls are exempt from EPR registration, simplifying compliance overhead for QSR chains, hotel groups, and FMCG brands operating in India. Bulk buyers can order at wholesale volumes.