The date when a product was manufactured or produced
The manufacturing date (also written as Mfg Date or Date of Manufacture) is the date on which a product was produced, assembled, or packaged. It is a critical piece of information for businesses dealing in perishable goods, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, chemicals, and food products. In India, the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules and FSSAI regulations require that the manufacturing date be printed on all packaged goods along with the expiry date or best-before date. Together, these two dates define the shelf life of a product — the period during which it remains safe and effective for use. For businesses that manufacture goods in-house — such as food processors, spice grinders, pickle makers, or small-scale chemical manufacturers — recording the manufacturing date is essential for batch traceability. If a quality issue or customer complaint arises, the manufacturing date helps trace exactly which production batch is affected and when it was made. This is vital for product recalls, quality audits, and regulatory inspections by bodies like FSSAI or the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). In inventory management, the manufacturing date also helps enforce FIFO (First In First Out) or FEFO (First Expiry First Out) practices, ensuring that older production batches are sold before newer ones. Accurate manufacturing date records protect businesses from legal liability, support quality control, and build customer trust.
Rajan operates a small spice manufacturing unit in Kochi. On 15th January 2026, he produces a batch of turmeric powder. He records the details in Stock Register: Product: Turmeric Powder (500g), Batch No: TUR-2026-015, Manufacturing Date: 15-Jan-2026, Expiry Date: 14-Jan-2028 (shelf life: 24 months), Quantity Produced: 400 packets, Cost of Production: Rs. 65 per packet (raw turmeric Rs. 45 + packaging Rs. 8 + labour Rs. 12). Each packet is labelled with the Mfg Date and Expiry Date as required by FSSAI. When a retailer in Ernakulam later reports that some packets have a slightly off colour, Rajan traces the issue to Batch TUR-2026-015 using the manufacturing date and isolates the remaining 85 unsold packets from that batch for quality inspection.
Yes, under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011, all pre-packaged goods sold in India must display the manufacturing date (or packing date) and the expiry date (or best-before date) on the product label. For food products, FSSAI regulations additionally require the manufacturing date to be printed clearly. For pharmaceutical products, the Drugs and Cosmetics Act mandates the manufacturing date on all medicine packaging. Non-compliance can result in fines and legal penalties.
The manufacturing date is when the product was actually produced or processed — for example, when spices were ground or tablets were pressed. The packing date is when the finished product was packed into its final consumer packaging. For many products, these dates are the same. However, for bulk-manufactured goods that are packed later (such as loose tea packed into retail pouches), the dates may differ. Indian regulations generally require the earlier of the two dates to be printed on the label.
When a quality issue is discovered — such as contamination, incorrect formulation, or packaging defects — the manufacturing date narrows down exactly which production batch is affected. Instead of recalling all stock of that product, you can recall only the specific batch produced on that date. In Stock Register, you can search by manufacturing date and batch number to find all units from that batch, identify which customers received them, and take targeted recall action. This saves cost and minimises business disruption.
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