Legal Metrology Labelling for Footwear: What a Private-Label Shoe Box Must Show in India (2026)
Updated: 18 hours ago
Under India's Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, every boxed pair sold at retail must show the name and address of the manufacturer, packer or brand owner, the generic name, net quantity, month and year of manufacture, MRP inclusive of all taxes, and consumer care details. For boxed footwear, these go on the box or an affixed label.
Getting Legal Metrology labelling for footwear right before your first private-label production run saves you reprinting boxes, relabelling stock and failed marketplace listings. This guide is written for Indian D2C brands, retailers and corporate buyers who order leather shoes from a manufacturer and sell them under their own name.
Key Takeaways
Mandatory declarations: maker, packer or importer name and address, country of origin, generic name, net quantity, month and year of manufacture, MRP, unit sale price and consumer care details (DoCA, July 2024).
Brands that outsource production can declare their own name and address marked 'Marketed by' or 'Brand Owner' (Legal Metrology FAQs, updated 11 November 2025).
Boxed footwear: declarations go on the box or a label fixed to it, not on the shoe. Unboxed pairs need a durable tag or sticker.
Institutional and industrial packs are exempt from retail declarations if clearly marked 'Not for Retail Sale'.
Updated October 2026: BIS rules apply to footwear made after 1 August 2024. Declared old stock can be sold until 31 July 2027.
Which declarations must a retail shoe box carry in India?
A retail shoe box must carry the full set of Rule 6 declarations, listed by the Department of Consumer Affairs as manufacturer/packer/importer name and address, country of origin, common or generic name, net quantity, month and year of manufacture, MRP, unit sale price and consumer care details. The table shows how each one usually reads on a pair of leather shoes, and who supplies the information.
Declaration | How it usually reads on a footwear box | Who supplies it |
Name and address of manufacturer, packer or brand owner | Marketed by: [Brand legal name], [full address] | Brand |
Country of origin | Made in India | Manufacturer confirms |
Common or generic name | Men's leather Derby shoes | Brand, per style |
Net quantity | 1 Pair | Brand |
Month and year of manufacture | Mfd: 10/2026, taken from the production batch | Manufacturer |
MRP inclusive of all taxes | MRP Rs X (incl. of all taxes) | Brand |
Unit sale price | Price per unit (per pair); check with your Legal Metrology adviser whether a separate line is needed when MRP already equals the per-pair price | Brand |
Consumer care details | Name, address, phone number and email for complaints | Brand |
Declarations must also meet the prescribed minimum font size. Smaller text counts as a violation, which matters on narrow box end-panels. Plan a single declaration panel, and leave a separate space for the size and colour sticker.
Whose name goes on the box when a factory makes your shoes?
Your brand's name can go on the box. According to the Legal Metrology FAQs updated on 11 November 2025 (summarised by AZB & Partners), the complete name and address of the brand owner, marked 'Marketed by' or 'Brand Owner', satisfies the manufacturer declaration under Rule 6(1)(a).
This suits private-label footwear. Complaints and returns come to you rather than the factory, and the box looks like your brand. Some brands also add a 'Manufactured by' line naming the factory. Either way, settle the wording before the box supplier prints, because artwork changes after printing are expensive. If your business also packs or imports goods itself, check any registration duties with your state Legal Metrology controller.
Where do the declarations go: box, label or shoe?
On boxed footwear, every required declaration goes on the box or a label fixed to it, and the shoe itself does not need to be marked. Unboxed pairs, such as open-shelf sandals or display stock, need the declarations on a durable tag or sticker fixed to the product.
Retail boxes: full declarations, printed or on an affixed label.
Outer and shipper cartons: no retail declarations needed if used only for transport or wholesale, but mark them for that use.
Corporate, uniform and safety-shoe supplies: institutional or industrial packs are exempt if clearly marked 'Not for Retail Sale'.
Pairs sold online: the delivered box still needs every declaration, whatever the listing shows.
Do marketplace and D2C website listings need the same details?
Yes, most of them. Since 1 January 2018, Rule 6(10) has required e-commerce sellers to show the main declarations on the product page: maker, packer or importer details, generic name, net quantity and retail sale price inclusive of taxes (Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan). Month and year of manufacture can be left off the listing, but it must still appear on the pair you deliver.
In practice, keep one master sheet per style with the generic name, MRP, 'Marketed by' address and consumer care contact. Use it for box artwork, your Shopify or marketplace listing, and the GST invoice description, so the three never contradict each other.
How do MRP, GST and BIS fit into your box artwork?
MRP must be declared inclusive of all taxes. GST on footwear depends on whether the per-pair value is up to or above Rs 2,500, so the slab directly affects the price you print. The GST and launch steps are explained in our checklist for launching a leather footwear brand in India.
Footwear quality control orders also apply. Under the June 2026 amendment to the footwear QCOs, declared pre-August-2024 stock can be sold until 31 July 2027, while new production made after 1 August 2024 must keep meeting the relevant BIS requirements (Corpseed summary). Whether a given style needs certification is covered in our guide to BIS certification for private-label leather footwear.
Box artwork sign-off checklist
Fix the generic name for each style (for example 'Women's leather ballet flats').
Agree the exact 'Marketed by' or 'Brand Owner' text and full address.
Set the MRP per style after confirming the GST slab.
Agree with your manufacturer how month and year of manufacture will be printed or stickered for each batch.
Add a consumer care name, address, phone number and email that someone actually monitors.
Check minimum font sizes on the smallest box panel.
Mark wholesale cartons for transport or wholesale use, and institutional packs 'Not for Retail Sale'.
Approve a printed box with the pre-production sample, before bulk packing.
How Sanwas International works with Indian brands
For Indian D2C brands, retailers and corporate buyers, we produce private label leather footwear with MOQs under 500 units per style, sampling from 72 hours and bulk production from 30 days, with AQL inspection before dispatch. See our men's footwear range. Share your box artwork and label text with your tech pack so packing is planned alongside the bulk order. For GST invoicing and e-way bills on domestic consignments, see our guide to buying from a bulk leather products supplier in India. When you are ready, request a private label quote from Sanwas International.
This guide is general information as of October 2026, not legal advice. Confirm your final box declarations with a Legal Metrology consultant or your state Legal Metrology department.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my D2C brand print 'Marketed by' with our name instead of the factory's name on the shoe box?
Yes. The Department of Consumer Affairs' Legal Metrology FAQs (updated 11 November 2025) say the complete name and address of the brand owner, marked 'Marketed by' or 'Brand Owner', is sufficient for the manufacturer declaration. Many private-label brands use this so customers and complaints reach them directly. Decide the exact wording before box artwork is printed.
Do I need Legal Metrology declarations if I only sell leather shoes on my own website?
Yes. The pair still reaches the customer as a packaged retail product, so the box or affixed label must carry every mandatory declaration. Since 1 January 2018, e-commerce sellers must also show the main declarations, such as maker or brand-owner details, generic name, quantity and MRP, on the product page; month and year of manufacture can be left off the listing.
What should the net quantity say on a box of leather shoes?
Footwear is sold by number, so brands usually declare '1 Pair' on a single-pair box. The 2025 FAQs also allow terms such as '1 N' or '1 U' for combination, group and multi-piece packages, and unit sale price is not required on those packs. Keep the quantity line in the same declaration panel as the MRP.
Do bulk corporate or safety-shoe orders need an MRP on every box?
Not if they are genuinely institutional or industrial supplies. The FAQs exempt institutional and industrial packages from the retail declarations, provided they are clearly marked 'Not for Retail Sale'. If any pairs from the same order will be resold at retail, label those as retail packs with full declarations.
Does GST affect the MRP I print on private-label leather shoes?
Yes. MRP must be declared inclusive of all taxes, and GST on footwear depends on whether the per-pair value is up to or above Rs 2,500, so the slab feeds straight into the printed price. Fix the selling price and GST slab per style before box artwork is approved, and buy from a GST-registered manufacturer so the tax invoice supports your input tax credit.
Launching Private-Label Footwear in India? Get a Quote with Packaging in Scope
Tell us your product category, leather type, target quantity per style, delivery city and target launch date, and share your box and label requirements so we can plan packing with the bulk order. Sanwas International supplies brands, retailers and corporate buyers across India and exports worldwide, and your
Include these details in your enquiry:
Product category and style (footwear, jacket, upholstery leather, hides or crust)
Leather type, finish and colour
Target quantity per style and colour
Delivery city in India or destination country, plus preferred Incoterm
Target delivery date and whether you need a sample before bulk
Contact Sanwas International
Mob: +91 8728858686
Address: 308 Leather Complex, Kapurthala Road, Jalandhar, Punjab 144002, India
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