CCPA to bring out guidelines for diamond sector in consumer interest

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) will soon release a framework that includes, among other measures, explicit labelling and certification of all diamonds, it said on Tuesday.

 

To deliberate on the use of appropriate terminology for diamonds, the consumer protection body organised a stakeholder consultation on consumer protection in the diamond sector, chaired by Nidhi Khare, chief commissioner, CCPA.

 

“The meeting addressed critical concerns regarding the lack of standardised terminology and inadequate disclosure practices in the diamond sector,” stated an official release.

 

“These gaps have resulted in consumer confusion and misleading practices, especially concerning the differentiation between natural diamonds and lab-grown diamonds,” it added.

 

Industry consensus at the meeting emphasised the need for ethical marketing practices and consistent terminology to enhance consumer protection.

 

A comprehensive set of guidelines was also proposed for the sector. These will mandate:

 

Explicit labelling and certification of all diamonds, specifying their origin and production method.

 

Prohibition of terms like “natural” or “genuine” for lab-grown products, as they can be misleading.

 

Accreditation systems to regulate and standardise diamond testing laboratories, curbing the rise of unregulated entities.

 

“The consultation was a significant step toward building a transparent and consumer-centric diamond market. The CCPA will soon release a robust framework to ensure transparency, accountability, and consumer protection across the diamond industry,” the statement added.