LUCKNOW: Consumers buying sweets in Uttar Pradesh will have access to clearer information about their freshness and shelf life from Oct 15, 2026, with the state Food Safety and Drug Administration making it mandatory for sweet sellers to display the ‘use-by date’ of sweets kept for sale or storage.The new requirement is particularly significant for loose sweets, for which there was no clear mandatory provision requiring sellers to display the last date by which the product should be consumed.According to the Food Safety and Drug Administration department, inspections and enforcement drives at sweet manufacturing and retail establishments in recent months found that consumers were often not provided clear information about the date of manufacture or the period for which a sweet remained suitable for consumption.The department said this made it difficult for customers to make an informed decision about the freshness and safety of the products they purchased.An order issued by Food Safety and Drug Administration Commissioner Roshan Jacob states that the usable life of sweets varies depending on their type and nature. Different varieties may have a shelf life ranging from one day to 30 days.The department said the quality, taste and freshness of sweets can deteriorate over time, making information about their use-by date important for consumers.Under the new system, sweet shops and manufacturing establishments will have to clearly display the use-by date for sweets that are displayed or stored for sale. The information will enable customers to know how long a particular sweet is considered suitable for consumption before making a purchase.The department said use-by or expiry information is already mandatory on packaged sweets under the existing system. However, loose sweets have not been subject to a similar explicit requirement.The department said the new arrangement has been introduced in line with the consumer protection and public health objectives under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.Section 18(1)(a) of the Act provides for protection of human life and health and consumer interests in relation to food safety standards and fair practices in the food trade. Section 30(2)(d) also provides for effective and uniform implementation of food safety standards and other prescribed requirements while ensuring transparency, reliability and objectivity.In a separate measure, Uttar Pradesh has also prohibited the use of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol in milk and dairy-product processing units across the state.
