FSSAI Bans Plastic Packaging for Pan Masala 2026 | New Rules Explained

FSSAI has banned plastic, laminate, and foil packaging for pan masala, allowing only paper (fully plastic-free) or tin/glass containers. The rule is final and already in force, notified in August 2026 under Schedule IV of the Packaging Regulations.

On 7 August 2026, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) officially notified the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Amendment Regulations, 2026. This isn't a proposal anymore, it's a final, legally binding rule, and it's already in effect from the date it was published in the Gazette.So, FSSAI first floated this idea as a draft back on 28 April 2026, then opened it up for 60 days so the public and industry could raise objections or suggestions. After going through that feedback, the authority finalised the rule, which is why you'll now see it referred to as the "final" notification rather than a draft.

What was the problem before this?

There's a part of the packaging rules called Schedule IV, think of it as a reference list that tells food companies which packaging materials are recommended for different food categories. Until now, this list had 10 entries, covering things like edible oils, milk, and other foods. Pan masala, oddly, wasn't on it at all. That gap meant there was no clear, specific rule about what pan masala could be packaged in.

This amendment fixes that gap by adding pan masala as Entry No. 11 on the list.

So what exactly can pan masala be packed in now?

Only two options are allowed going forward:

1. Paper-based materials: Paper, paperboard, cellulose, or similar naturally derived materials. But there's a catch: these must be completely plastic-free. That means no polyethylene, no polypropylene, no polyester, no PVC, and no synthetic polymer or copolymer coatings or laminates. It also rules out aluminium foil linings and metallised layers, so a pouch that looks like paper on the outside but has a shiny foil or plastic lining on the inside won't pass.

2. Tin or glass containers.

That's it. The familiar plastic laminated pouches and foil sachets that pan masala has traditionally come in? Those no longer meet the standard.

There's also a cross reference built into the rule: packaging must also follow clauses (f) and (i) of Rule 4(1) of the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, which fall under the Environment Protection Act, 1986. In simple terms, FSSAI is layering its own food-packaging law on top of India's broader plastic waste rules.

Who does this affect?

Anyone in the pan masala supply chain:

• Manufacturers
• Packers
• Brand owners
• Their packaging suppliers and vendors

What should food businesses do right now?

1. Stop using plastic-based, laminated, or metallised-foil pouches and sachets for pan masala
2. Switch to fully plastic-free paper/paperboard/cellulose packaging, or move to tin/glass containers
3. Verify your new packaging also meets Rule 4(1)(f) and (i) of the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016
4. Update contracts and specs with your packaging suppliers immediately, don't wait for a compliance grace period, because none has been announced
5. Treat this as urgent, since enforcement can begin at any time now that the rule is live

For exam aspirants: what's worth remembering

1. Schedule IV of the FSS (Packaging) Regulations, 2018 now has 11 entries, with pan masala as the newest (Serial No. 11).
2. This notification is a textbook example of the two-stage Section 92 process: draft (April 2026) → public objections/suggestions period → final notification (August 2026). It's useful to contrast this with regulations that are still stuck at the draft stage.
3. Note the cross-referencing technique, FSSAI pulling in compliance requirements from the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 (a different Act entirely) rather than rewriting those provisions itself.