Consumers in India will soon have a clearer way to identify whether certain personal-care products are of vegetarian or non-vegetarian origin. The Centre has amended the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, introducing mandatory colour-coded markings for soaps, shampoos, toothpaste, cosmetics and other toiletries.
Under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Fourth Amendment Rules, 2026, a green dot will indicate a product of vegetarian origin, while a red or brown dot will indicate non-vegetarian origin. The prescribed symbol must appear at the top of the product’s principal display panel, which is the main display area of the package.
The notification was issued by the Department of Consumer Affairs on September 21 and states that the amendment comes into force from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
The change is relevant because personal-care products can contain ingredients derived from different sources. The new marking is intended to give consumers a quick visual indication of the product’s origin, particularly for people whose purchasing decisions are influenced by dietary, ethical or personal preferences.
However, the colour-coded dot should not be interpreted as a safety, quality or health rating. A green dot indicates vegetarian origin under the new labelling requirement; it does not by itself mean that a product is gentler, more natural or better for the skin.
Consumers should therefore continue checking the complete ingredient information and other product declarations when choosing soaps, shampoos, toothpaste or cosmetics. The new symbol is an additional origin-related disclosure, not a replacement for the rest of the information provided on the package.