The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has introduced new packaging requirements for pan masala, effectively eliminating plastic-based and metallised packaging formats for the product.
The new provisions were notified through the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Amendment Regulations, 2026, and add pan masala to Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018. The amendment came into force upon publication in the Official Gazette.
Under the revised requirements, pan masala may be packaged in paper, paperboard, cellulose or other naturally derived materials, provided these materials are completely free from plastic. The permitted materials must not contain synthetic polymers, copolymers or laminates, including polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
The rules also specifically exclude aluminium foil and metallised layers. As a result, paper-based packaging incorporating plastic films, laminates, aluminium foil or metallised layers will not qualify under the permitted material specifications.
FSSAI has separately listed tin and glass containers as permissible packaging options for pan masala.
The amendment also brings relevant provisions of the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, framed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, into the packaging requirements applicable to pan masala.
The notification follows a consultation process initiated by FSSAI on April 28, 2026, when the authority issued draft regulations inviting objections and suggestions from stakeholders and other affected parties. The consultation remained open for 60 days, following which FSSAI considered the feedback before notifying the final amendment.
The changes are focused specifically on packaging and do not constitute a ban on pan masala as a product. Instead, manufacturers will now have to ensure that their packaging formats comply with the newly specified material requirements.
For pan masala manufacturers, the amendment is likely to require a review of existing packaging structures and supply arrangements. Companies using plastic-based or metallized formats may need to identify compliant alternatives, qualify new materials and suppliers, and assess the impact of the transition on converting, filling, distribution and logistics operations.
The shift could also have implications for packaging costs, depending on the alternative materials and formats selected by manufacturers.
With the amendment now in force, pan masala packaging will face a significantly tighter material framework, with FSSAI placing greater emphasis on plastic-free and naturally derived packaging options, alongside tin and glass containers.
