Published 15 October 2026
On 21 September 2026 the Department of Consumer Affairs notified the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Fourth Amendment Rules, 2026, G.S.R. 826(E), in force from the date of publication. Several early reports said the green and red dots had become compulsory on soaps, shampoos and toothpaste. The text does the opposite. It deletes the rule that made the dot mandatory and lists the dot instead among the declarations a manufacturer may add if it chooses. For personal-care brands, including Kerala's soap, hair-oil and herbal toiletry makers, here is what changed and why.
What the notification says
The amendment makes two changes to rule 6 of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, the rule on declarations every package must carry. It inserts a new clause (d) in sub-rule (4A): "in the case of soap, shampoo, tooth paste, other cosmetics and toiletries, a red or, as the case may be, a brown dot for products of non-vegetarian origin and a green dot for products of vegetarian origin, at the top of the principal display panel." And it omits sub-rule (8), which had required exactly those dots.
Why sub-rule (4A) makes the dot voluntary
Sub-rule (4A), inserted in 2017, is the rule's list of optional extras. It opens: "Nothing in this rule shall preclude a manufacturer or packer or importer to declare the following on the package, in addition to the mandatory declarations", and then lists a barcode, GTIN or QR code, an e-code for net quantity, and logos of government schemes such as Swachh Bharat Mission. The dot now sits in that list as clause (d). Sub-rule (8), the compulsory version introduced by a notification of 16 June 2014, is gone. The dot is something a brand may declare, not something it must.
How the rule got here: twelve years of dispute
- 16 June 2014: the Legal Metrology notification adds sub-rule (8), requiring the dots on soap, shampoo, toothpaste, other cosmetics and toiletries.
- 2015: Reckitt Benckiser (India) Ltd challenges it in the Delhi High Court (W.P.(C) 1989/2015), arguing that cosmetics are for the drugs regulator under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act; on 2 March 2015 the court bars coercive action against the company until further orders.
- 16 May 2018: the Drugs Technical Advisory Board agrees in principle to mandatory dots under the drugs and cosmetics rules.
- 13 April 2021: the Board reverses, noting there is no system to certify ingredients as vegetarian or not, and advises that the dots be voluntary and issued as an advisory.
- 7 February 2026: the High Court notes a "clear conflict" between the Board's advice and the Legal Metrology rule and directs the Drugs Controller General and the Director of Legal Metrology to reach a joint decision after consulting stakeholders.
- 21 September 2026: the Fourth Amendment moves the dot into the voluntary list and deletes the mandatory rule.
What brands should do now
- No repackaging is needed. Packs already carrying the dot remain lawful, and packs without it no longer breach the Legal Metrology rules on that point.
- If you choose to show it, follow the format the rule describes: green for vegetarian origin, red or brown for non-vegetarian origin, placed at the top of the principal display panel.
- Keep the evidence. A voluntary dot is still a claim on the label. Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 a label is an advertisement, so a green dot on a product with animal-derived ingredients such as lanolin, collagen or tallow can be treated as misleading.
- Check ingredient sourcing before printing a green dot: glycerine and stearic acid can be made from plant oils or from animal fat, and the supplier's certificate of origin is your proof.
- Keep the other mandatory declarations intact. The amendment touches only the dot; name and address, net quantity, MRP, date of manufacture and consumer-care details remain compulsory under rule 6(1).
Food is different
The amendment concerns cosmetics and toiletries under the Legal Metrology rules. Packaged food is governed by the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, under which the vegetarian or non-vegetarian symbol remains a mandatory declaration. A Kerala company that makes both coconut-oil soap and packaged snacks needs the symbol on the snacks and may choose whether to use the dot on the soap.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the green or red dot mandatory on soap and shampoo from September 2026?
No. G.S.R. 826(E) of 21 September 2026 omitted rule 6(8), the mandatory provision, and placed the dot in rule 6(4A), which lists declarations a manufacturer may add in addition to the mandatory ones.
Which products does the rule cover?
Soap, shampoo, toothpaste, other cosmetics and toiletries, as packaged commodities under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011.
If a brand shows the dot, where must it go?
The clause describes a green dot for vegetarian origin and a red or brown dot for non-vegetarian origin at the top of the principal display panel.
Do packaged foods still need the vegetarian symbol?
Yes. The FSSAI's Labelling and Display Regulations, 2020 still require it on packaged food; the September amendment applies only to cosmetics and toiletries under the Legal Metrology rules.
When did the change take effect?
On publication in the Gazette of India on 21 September 2026, as the notification provides that the rules come into force on the date of their publication.
Sources
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Fourth Amendment Rules, 2026, G.S.R. 826(E), Gazette of India Extraordinary, 21 September 2026; Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Amendment Rules, 2017, inserting rule 6(4A); Delhi High Court, Reckitt Benckiser (India) Ltd v. Union of India, W.P.(C) 1989/2015, order of 7 February 2026; Consumer Protection Act, 2019, section 2(1); FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020.
BookMyTM reviews packaging declarations, registers brand names and logos as trademarks, and handles FSSAI licensing for personal-care and food businesses across Kerala.