Amazon, Flipkart, and other companies will soon start adding labels to Chinese goods sold online in India. Basically, the firms have agreed to start displaying “country of origin” for all products sold in India. But, it is currently unknown as to when we will start seeing the labels on products. ET reported that online retailers like Amazon have demanded around 4-5 months to comply with the requirement.
The move is aimed at curbing Chinese imports despite heightened tension between India and China. Online retailers like Jio Platforms have asked for time to display labels. Apart from Amazon, many companies were present at a virtual meeting with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. Executives from Reliance Retail and e-commerce companies such as Snapdeal, Udaan, Swiggy, Zomato, BigBasket, and Grofers were also present.
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If the labeling thing is successfully implemented, it could hurt sales of Chinese goods. The move also supports the government’s idea to promote “Make in India” and the manufacturing sector. “In an offline setting, a consumer can pick up a product, see where it was made, and take an informed decision. Similar details should be displayed on e-commerce websites,” a senior government official told Economic Times.
The development gains significance as the government is giving a major push to Indian goods and has called for a ‘Self Reliant India’. The chorus for turning to Indian products has grown further on the back of the border tensions with China. The meeting comes just days after the Centre made it mandatory for sellers to enter the ‘Country of Origin’ clause while registering all new products on government e-marketplace (GeM).
The e-marketplace is a special purpose vehicle (SPV) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which facilitates the entry of small local sellers in public procurement, while implementing the ‘Make in India’ and MSE Purchase Preference Policies of the Centre.
– With inputs from IANS
