India mandates vegetarian and non-vegetarian labels for personal care products

The Indian central government has amended the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, to mandate color-coded labeling for personal care products. Under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Fourth Amendment Rules, 2026, manufacturers of soaps, shampoos, toothpastes, cosmetics, and other toiletries must clearly indicate whether their products are of vegetarian or non-vegetarian origin.

Vegetarian products must display a green dot within a square border, while products containing animal-derived ingredients must feature a red or brown dot. These symbols are required to be placed at the top of the principal display panel of the packaging to ensure immediate consumer recognition without the need to scrutinize long ingredient lists.

While the requirement for such markings was originally introduced in a 2014 amendment, the latest notification reconfigures the legal structure by inserting the provision under Rule 6(4A)(d) and removing the previous Rule 6(8). This regulatory shift follows legal proceedings in the Delhi High Court regarding the clarity of labeling requirements for the cosmetics and toiletries sector.