Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 · Chapter VI: Special Responsibilities As to Food Safety
Section 27: Liability of the manufacturers, packers, wholesalers, distributors and sellers
(1) The manufacturer or packer of an article of food shall be liable for such article of food if it does not meet the requirements of this Act and the rules and regulations made thereunder.
(2) The wholesaler or distributor shall be liable under this Act for any article of food which is—
(a) supplied after the date of its expiry; or
(b) stored or supplied in violation of the safety instructions of the manufacturer; or
(c) unsafe or misbranded; or
(d) unidentifiable of manufacturer from whom the article of food have been received; or
(e) stored or handled or kept in violation of the provisions of this Act, the rules and regulations made thereunder; or
(f) received by him with knowledge of being unsafe.
(3) The seller shall be liable under this Act for any article of food which is—
(a) sold after the date of its expiry; or
(b) handled or kept in unhygienic conditions; or
(c) misbranded; or
(d) unidentifiable of the manufacturer or the distributors from whom such articles of food were received; or
(e) received by him with knowledge of being unsafe.
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 14 October 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.
Supreme Court judgments citing the section 27
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