Government Mulls Mandatory ‘Country Of Origin’ Filter On E-Commerce Platforms

The government is considering a plan to make it mandatory for e-commerce platforms to provide searchable and sortable filters based on the 'Country of Origin' for packaged commodities sold online.

The Department of Consumer Affairs on Monday issued the Draft Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) (Second) Amendment Rules, 2025, to enhance consumer empowerment and transparency in online shopping.

"This amendment seeks to empower consumers to make informed purchasing decisions by allowing them to easily identify the origin of products while shopping online. The proposed feature will enable consumers to search and sort products by their country of origin, thereby enhancing transparency and reducing the time required to locate such information across vast product listings," the government said in a statement.

The draft amendment rules have been published on the Department’s website for public consultation, and comments from stakeholders like Amazon and Flipkart are invited up to Nov. 22, 2025.

The government said the proposed changes will ensure a level playing field for Indian manufacturers, helping domestic products gain equal visibility alongside imported goods and encouraging consumers to choose locally made alternatives.

India has been pushing local manufacturing under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, ‘Vocal for Local’ and ‘Made in India’ initiatives to cut reliance on imports.

The introduction of country-of-origin filters will also assist in efficiently monitoring compliance, verifying product information and identifying violations without requiring manual review of each listing.

"This proposed amendment marks another important step toward building a transparent, consumer-friendly, and competitive e-commerce ecosystem that aligns with national priorities and enhances consumer trust in digital marketplaces," the statement said.