Amazon fined for not displaying mandatory information about products

The government has imposed a penalty on Amazon for not displaying mandatory information, including the country of origin, of products sold on its platform, according to an official order

The government has imposed a penalty on e-commerce major Amazon for not displaying mandatory information, including the country of origin, of products sold on its platform, according to an official order.

Last month, the consumer affairs ministry had issued notices to e-commerce majors Flipkart and Amazon for not displaying such information.

The ministry had also asked states to ensure that all e-commerce firms comply with the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules.

Penalty has been imposed on Amazon as its reply to the notice was not found satisfactory, as per the order issued by the ministry dated November 19.

As per law, Amazon as been fined Rs 25,000 per director for the first offence, a senior official of the ministry said.

Flipkart has not been fined, the official added.

An email sent to Amazon on the matter did not elicit any immediate response.

In the notice issued last month, the consumer affairs ministry had said, "It has been brought into notice that some of the e-commerce entities are not displaying the mandatory declaration on digital platforms required under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011."

In similarly worded notices, the ministry had said Flipkart India Pvt Ltd and Amazon Development Centre India Pvt Ltd have to ensure that all mandatory declarations are displayed on the digital and electronic network used for e-commerce transactions.