India’s Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has conducted extensive search and seizure operations at warehouses of leading e-commerce giants Amazon and Flipkart. The Consumer Affairs Ministry said in a statement that the raids are aimed to curb the distribution of non-compliant products through e-commerce platforms. The raids, aimed at curbing the sale of substandard goods, revealed some uncertified items, including toys, kitchen appliances, and electrical equipment. The operations, conducted in cities like Lucknow, Gurugram, and Delhi, targeted warehouses of Amazon and Flipkart, as well as facilities of Techvision International Pvt Ltd, a key supplier of these non-certified products. Notably, raids at Amazon warehouses in Lucknow and Gurugram resulted in the seizure of hundreds of uncertified toys, hand blenders, aluminium foils, metallic water bottles, PVC cables, food mixers, and speakers. Similarly, a Flipkart warehouse operated by Instakart Services Pvt Ltd in Gurugram was found to be stocking hundreds of uncertified stainless steel bottles, toys, and speakers.
Brands of which non-certified products found during Amazon and Flipkart raid
BIS investigations traced the source of these non-certified products to Techvision International Pvt Ltd, leading to raids at two of their facilities in Delhi. “BIS’s investigations into multiple violations on both Amazon and Flipkart traced non-certified products back to Techvision International Pvt Ltd,” said the ministry. These raids uncovered approximately 7,000 electric water heaters, 4,000 electric food mixers, 95 electric room heaters, and 40 gas stoves, all lacking mandatory BIS certification. Brands identified in the seized products include Digismart, Activa, Inalsa, Cello Swift, and Butterfly, among others, as per the ministry statement.
What are non-certified products found on Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho and other websites
The Consumer Affairs Ministry emphasized that BIS certification is mandatory for these products due to the potential hazards they pose. Non-certified products, lacking the ISI Mark or bearing an invalid license number, have not undergone independent third-party testing to ensure they meet minimum safety and performance standards. BIS has identified that several non-certified products are being sold on e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, Myntra, and BigBasket.
BIS has initiated legal action under the BIS Act, 2016, against the responsible entities, including filing two court cases against M/s Techvision International Pvt Ltd. Defaulters face penalties ranging from two lakh rupees to ten times the value of the goods, and potentially imprisonment of up to two years. BIS is actively conducting market surveillance, including rigorous testing of consumer products, to ensure compliance with safety and quality standards.
Consumers are urged to utilize the BIS Care app to verify the authenticity of BIS certification and report non-compliant products. The app provides information on products requiring mandatory BIS certification and allows consumers to check the ISI Mark and manufacturer’s license number. This initiative aims to empower consumers to make informed purchasing decisions and ensure the safety of products available in the market.
BIS message to consumers
BIS urges consumers to make informed purchasing decisions by utilizing the BIS Care app. This app provides consumers with crucial information on products that require mandatory BIS certification and allows them to verify the authenticity of a product’s BIS certification by checking the ISI Mark and the manufacturer’s license number (CM/L). Additionally, consumers can use the BIS Care app to lodge complaints about products that do not bear the ISI Mark or report quality concerns regarding BIS-certified products