The ministry of consumer affairs issued notices to e-commerce major Flipkart and Amazon for not initiating ‘country of origin’. It relieved them 15 days to provide details, along with an explanation.
The MCA added that action would be initiated against Amazon and Flipkart if they failed to provide details.
The letter addressed to Flipkart India Pvt. Ltd. and Amazon Development Center India Pvt.Ltd. By MCA, had specific links to the inventory, which lacked the details, as required under the Legal Metrology.
In case of marketplace model of e-commerce, responsibility of the correctness of the declarations lies with the manufacturer or dealer or importer,” the letter claims.
Now, MCA has asked both e-commerce firms to furnish details about the seller regarding nature and ownership of the firm, necessary incorporation documents, as well as names and residential addresses of persons responsible for the conduct including the respective police jurisdiction under which they reside.
The ministry has given the respective e-commerce firms 15 days to provide these details, along with an explanation. On failing to initiate so, action will be initiated against Amazon and Flipkart.
Over the past month, e-commerce and food delivery firms have had several meetings with the consumer affairs department as well as officials from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, regarding the addition of ‘country of origin’ tag to online product listings.
In July, the Delhi high court had issued notice to Amazon and Flipkart on a plea notifying them to display the names of the manufacturing countries for products on their websites.
Reportedly, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICC) wrote to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs earlier in August, asking for six to seven months for complying with the new rules.
