Centre asks states to allow manufacture, distribution of packaged foods

The advisory should help food delivery services, e-commerce companies, cold storages and warehousing establishments.

The food processing ministry on Thursday sent an advisory to states under a nationwide lockdown to allow manufacturing, transport, distribution and retail of packaged foods and beverages amongst others—a move that’s expected to help companies like PepsiCo, Coke, and Nestle.

Many packaged foods and beverage companies have had to suspend production and distribution of their products due to the lockdown and confusion in what constitutes essential food items.

Pushpa Subrahmanyam, the food processing secretary, said in a communication that in understanding food, the definition of “food” would be as per the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 under which