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Dry fruit box weight: how short can a 500 g gift box legally be?
A single dry fruit box labelled 500 g that holds 485 g sits at the edge of the maximum permissible error for one package, and so does a 250 g box holding 241 g. Table I of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 sets those limits at 15 g and 9 g [1, 2]. To check a dry fruit box weight, weigh the contents alone on a stamped scale.
In a report updated on 23 October 2026, Free Press Journal said Mumbai traders quoted indicative wholesale prices of ₹1,800 a kg for pistachios, against ₹900 a kg at Diwali 2025, and ₹1,100 a kg for almonds, against ₹800 [3]. The same report put cashews at ₹900 to ₹1,200 a kg [3].
How much can a packed dry fruit box be short?
For one box from 100 g to 1 kg, the maximum permissible error is 4.5 g to 15 g, depending on the quantity printed on it. Rule 22(1) of the Packaged Commodities Rules sends you to the First Schedule for the maximum permissible error, and Table I there sets the limit by declared quantity [1]. These are the limits for five box sizes:
| Net quantity on the label | Maximum permissible error for one box | Declared quantity minus the error | Error as a share of the label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 g | 4.5 g | 95.5 g | 4.5% |
| 200 g | 9 g | 191 g | 4.5% |
| 250 g | 9 g | 241 g | 3.6% |
| 500 g | 15 g | 485 g | 3% |
| 1 kg | 15 g | 985 g | 1.5% |
Can a packer fill every box to the label weight minus the error?
No. The limit applies to one package. When a Legal Metrology officer tests a lot at the packer’s premises, samples are drawn under Rule 19 [1]. Under Rule 20, the officer seizes the samples and starts action if their corrected average net quantity is less than the quantity declared, if more sampled packages exceed the error limit than the Fifth Schedule allows, if any package is short by more than twice the limit, or if the declarations are missing [10]. A lot in which every 500 g box holds 485 g has a corrected average of 485 g and fails the first test.
What does a short gift box cost at Diwali 2026 prices?
At the Mumbai wholesale rates in the Free Press Journal report, the 15 g maximum permissible error on a 500 g box is worth ₹27 of pistachios or ₹16.50 of almonds [3].
Value of the shortfall (₹) = shortfall in g × price per kg ÷ 1,000
| Box | Maximum permissible error | Pistachios at ₹1,800 a kg | Almonds at ₹1,100 a kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 g | 9 g | ₹16.20 | ₹9.90 |
| 500 g | 15 g | ₹27.00 | ₹16.50 |
| 1 kg | 15 g | ₹27.00 | ₹16.50 |
At the ₹900 a kg rate reported for Diwali 2025, the same 15 g of pistachios was worth ₹13.50 [3]. These are wholesale rates quoted by traders, so use the rate on your own bill.
Who checks a dry fruit box at the shop?
A Legal Metrology officer. Under Rule 21(1), a net quantity test at a shop is not ordinarily carried out unless the officer receives a complaint that a package is short, or suspects tampering, leakage or missing declarations [1]. If a package is short by more than the maximum permissible error, Rule 21(3) has the officer seize it and act against the dealer [1]. If the shortfall is within the limit, Rule 21(4) lets the retail dealer sell the box at a price based on the quantity found in the test [1].
How do you check the dry fruit box weight yourself?
Weigh the dry fruit without the box on a stamped scale, then compare the reading with the label less the maximum permissible error.
- Use a stamped scale, such as the shop’s counter scale. Section 24 of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 requires a weight or measure used in a transaction to be verified before use [4], and an electronic scale is re-verified every 12 months under Rule 27(2)(c) of the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011 [5]; the 18 December 2025 amendment changed only clause (a) [9].
- Put an empty bowl on the scale and press tare, so the display reads 0. See our post on the tare button.
- Open the box and tip all the dry fruit into the bowl, including pieces caught in the liner.
- Compare the reading with the net quantity on the label, less the maximum permissible error from the first table.
- If the contents are short by more than that, keep the box, its label and the bill, and complain to the Legal Metrology office of your state, which can then test boxes at the shop under Rule 21(1) [1].
Which Hindustan Scale Company (HSCo) scale fits a dry fruit shop or a packing table?
Choose by where you weigh: at the counter, at a desk or on a packing line.
SSSP05 table top scale with pole display: weighs up to 5 kg on a 200 × 180 mm stainless-steel platter with an extra stainless-steel tray, with tare, a front display and a pole display for the customer [6]. For a dry fruit counter.- HSC-WL weighing and labelling machine: weighs each product on the conveyor from 5 g to 50 kg and applies a top, side or wrap-around label, up to 60 labels a minute [8]. For packers.
More shop scales are on our table top scales page, and our post on government stamping shows how to read a verification certificate. Tell us what you weigh and how many boxes a day: call +91-7045922250 or write to hsc@hindustanscale.com.
Frequently asked questions
Can a 500 g dry fruit box weigh less than 500 g?
Yes, by up to 15 g for a single box. Table I of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 sets a maximum permissible error of 15 g for a declared 500 g, so one 500 g dry fruit box holding 485 g is at that limit [1]. When an officer tests a lot at the packer, action follows under Rule 20 if the corrected average net quantity of the samples is below 500 g [10].
Can a shop sell a dry fruit box that is a few grams short?
Yes, after a Legal Metrology test, if the shortfall is within the maximum permissible error. Rule 21(4) of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 says that when a test finds a deficiency no greater than that limit, the retail dealer may sell the dry fruit box at a price based on the quantity found in the test [1]. A box short by more is seized under Rule 21(3) [1].
Where do I complain about a short dry fruit box?
Complain to the Legal Metrology office of your state. Rule 21(1) of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 allows an officer to test a package’s net quantity at a shop when a complaint is received, and Rule 21(3) has the officer seize a package found short by more than the maximum permissible error [1]. Keep the box, its label and the bill.
Sources
- Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India (copy hosted by the Government of Meghalaya), “The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011” (megweights.gov.in). Gazette text: Rules 2(e), 19, 21, 22 and First Schedule Table I
- Indian Kanoon, “The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011” (indiankanoon.org). Second copy of Rule 22 and First Schedule Table I
- Free Press Journal, “Diwali 2026: Pistachio And Date Prices Double, Making Festive Gifting Costlier In Mumbai” (freepressjournal.in, 23 October 2026). Dateline Mumbai, 22 October 2026; updated 23 October 2026
- Government of India (copy hosted by the Government of Meghalaya), “The Legal Metrology Act, 2009” (megweights.gov.in). Section 24
- Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India (copy hosted by the Government of Meghalaya), “The Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011” (megweights.gov.in). Rule 27(2)
- Hindustan Scale Company, “SSSP05 Electronic Table Top Scale, 5 kg, Stainless Steel, Pole Display” (hindustanscale.com).
- Hindustan Scale Company, “SRS120 Kitchen Scale, 10 kg × 1 g, Piece Counting, Battery or Adaptor” (hindustanscale.com).
- Hindustan Scale Company, “Weighing and Labelling Machine HSC-WL, 5 g to 50 kg, Top, Side or Wrap Labels, up to 60 per Minute” (hindustanscale.com).
- Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, “G.S.R. 905(E), Legal Metrology (General) Seventh Amendment Rules, 2025” (consumeraffairs.gov.in, 18 December 2025). Rule 27(2)(a) now includes petrol and diesel fuel dispensers
- Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, “G.S.R. 629(E), Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Amendment Rules, 2017” (consumeraffairs.gov.in, 23 June 2017). Substituted Rule 20
- Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, “G.S.R. 242(E), Legal Metrology (General) Second Amendment Rules, 2025” (consumeraffairs.gov.in, 21 April 2025). Inserted Rule 27A (special re-verification periods for gas meters), in force 1 September 2025