Why Modi government wants 'country-of-origin' filter on e-commerce sites
What's the story
The Indian government is mulling the introduction of a "country of origin" filter on e-commerce platforms. The move, aimed at simplifying consumer decision-making, comes ahead of the upcoming festive season. A virtual consultation was held with industry stakeholders to discuss possible amendments to the Legal Metrology Rules for this purpose. While most companies were on board with the proposal, some raised concerns about technical challenges and mobile app constraints.
Filter implementation
Proposal by Department of Consumer Affairs
The Department of Consumer Affairs has proposed that e-commerce platforms add a "country of origin" filter on their websites and apps. The idea is to let consumers quickly choose products based on their preferred country, similar to existing filters for price range, brand, the type of product, and size. Currently, most firms only mention the country of origin in the product description section—something shoppers have to check manually for each item.
Hurdles
Some firms raised concerns about tech challenges
While there was broad consensus among firms on the feasibility of the proposal, some raised concerns about potential tech challenges. These include tweaking the existing algorithms and mobile UI constraints to accommodate this new filter feature. An executive from a leading platform told Times of India that screen space on mobile apps is already tight, which could make implementation difficult before the festive season if approved by the ministry.
Implications
Change could affect visibility for some international brands
Satish Meena, an adviser at market research company Datum Intelligence, said this change could affect product visibility for some international brands. However, he does not expect a major operational impact on platforms.