Centre eases GST price sticker rules for manufacturers

New Delhi, Sept 19: Providing a big relief to manufacturers, the Centre has withdrawn the need to change price stickers on unsold goods made before September 22, following the revision in Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates.

In a notification dated September 18, issued by the Weights and Measures Unit, under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, the government clarified that manufacturers, packers, and importers will not be required to affix revised price stickers on unsold pre-packaged goods manufactured before September 22, following the revision in Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates.

This follows representations from industry bodies and trade associations, who flagged compliance challenges arising from earlier guidelines.

“After considering the concerns of the industry and in supersession of earlier advisory dated 09.09.2025, the Central Government, has decided to allow such manufacturers/ packers/ importers/ their representatives who may like to voluntarily affix additional revised price sticker, on unsold packages manufactured before 22nd September, 2025 and are lying with them, provided the original price declaration on the package is not obstructed,” the notification read.

“In this context, it is underlined that extant Rules do not mandate affixing revised price sticker by manufacturer/packer/ importer/ their representatives on unsold packages manufactured before 22nd September, 2025 and are lying with them,” it added.

Instead of advertising in newspapers, the manufacturers can now notify wholesalers and retailers. Companies must inform consumers about revised prices through various channels.

Earlier, the ministry had stated that the companies may, if they wish, voluntarily affix additional revised price stickers on unsold packages manufactured before September 22, provided the original price declaration is not obscured.

Meanwhile, the government has also relaxed Rule 18(3) of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, which earlier required companies to issue advertisements in two newspapers announcing revised prices.

Instead, manufacturers and importers will now only need to circulate price change notifications to wholesalers and retailers, with copies sent to the Director of Legal Metrology at the Centre and Controllers of Legal Metrology in all states and union territories.

The government further clarified that any unused packaging material or wrappers printed with old MRPs may be used until March 31, 2026, or until stocks are exhausted, whichever is earlier, provided corrections to the retail sale price are made using stamping, stickers, or online printing.

Welcoming the move, Rajiv Nath, Forum Coordinator, Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AiMeD), called it a timely response.

“We are very thankful to the empathetic and timely response by the Department of Consumer Affairs in granting us manufacturers permission to sell existing stocks of finished goods and unused packaging materials with old MRP wherever stickering or online inkjet printing could not be feasible,” Nath said.

“Without this clarity and permission, the dispatches ex-Factory/ warehouses would have come to a standstill, and all manufacturers were worried,” he added.