New Delhi : The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has rolled out new packaging norms for pan masala, effectively phasing out plastic, aluminium foil, and metallised layers from the list of approved materials. The change comes via the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Amendment Regulations, 2026, notified in the Gazette of India on Monday, August 10.
The amendment updates the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018 by inserting pan masala as a fresh entry under Schedule 4, which lists suggested packaging materials for various food products. Under the revised rules, pan masala manufacturers can now package their product using paper, paperboard, cellulose, or other naturally derived materials — provided these are entirely free of plastic. The notification explicitly rules out polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, PVC, and any other synthetic polymers, copolymers, or laminates.
As an alternative to paper-based options, FSSAI has also cleared tin and glass containers as permitted packaging formats. The amendment additionally brings certain provisions of the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 (framed under the Environment Protection Act, 1986) into play for pan masala packaging. The rules take effect immediately from the date of gazette publication. FSSAI had first floated the draft version of these regulations on April 28, opening a 60-day window for public comments and objections.
Previous Supreme Court rulings have consistently targeted single-use plastics. Earlier plastic waste management rules specifically restricted such disposable packaging in tobacco and chewing tobacco product categories. The current pan masala directive aligns directly with these established legal precedents. Health safety drives the regulatory overhaul. The blanket ban aims to mitigate hazardous chemical leaching from cheap plastic packaging.
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