The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has introduced a mandatory, standardized logo for all milk and milk products. Beginning July 1, 2028, packaging for items such as milk, curd, and paneer, including composite milk products, must feature a distinctive symbol consisting of a white droplet set against a blue square background.
This regulation was formalised through the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Second Amendment Regulations, 2026, which was published in the Gazette on November 9, 2026. The move amends the existing 2020 labelling regulations with the primary objective of improving consumer awareness regarding the regulatory identity of dairy items and enabling faster recognition of product information at the point of purchase.
FSSAI officials stated that the standardized mark is intended to bring consistency to labelling practices across various brands and packaging formats. The decision follows a draft proposal issued in February 2025, which invited objections and suggestions from stakeholders; the authority confirmed that this feedback was reviewed before the regulations were finalized.
To ensure uniformity, the FSSAI has mandated specific minimum dimensions for the logo based on the size of a product's principal display panel. For panels measuring up to 100 sq cm, the blue square must be at least 6 mm, increasing to 8 mm for panels between 100 and 500 sq cm, 12 mm for those between 500 and 2,500 sq cm, and 16 mm for any packaging exceeding 2,500 sq cm.
The white droplet contained within the square also carries precise size requirements. For the smallest 6 mm logo, the droplet must be at least 4.56 mm high and 3 mm wide. These dimensions scale up respectively to 6.08 mm by 4 mm, 9.12 mm by 6 mm, and 12.16 mm by 8 mm for the larger prescribed logo sizes.
Key facts
- The new regulation comes into effect on July 1, 2028.
- The symbol features a white droplet inside a blue square.
- Minimum dimensions for the blue square range from 6 mm to 16 mm based on package size.
- The amendment was published in the Gazette on November 9, 2026.
- The requirement applies to all milk, curd, paneer, and composite milk products.
Source: Economic Times, Times of India
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