What exactly is banned?
You cannot use newspaper, magazine pages, flyers, or any printed paper as a direct or indirect food-contact surface. That includes lining steel plates, wrapping street snacks, cushioning tiffins, or stuffing delivery boxes. Ink, solvents, and recycled fibres migrate into hot, oily food — which is why FSSAI and Maharashtra FDA aligned on a hard ban in 2026 enforcement.
Approved alternatives by service type
| Service type | Stop using | Switch to |
|---|---|---|
| Street / QSR counter | Newspaper wrap for vada pav, samosa, bhajiya | Food-grade greaseproof sheets or branded paper bags |
| Dine-in thali | Newspaper under steel plates | Plain melamine trays or unprinted tray liners |
| Takeaway boxes | Newspaper lining inside cardboard | Greaseproof kraft insert certified for hot food |
| Delivery (Swiggy/Zomato) | Newspaper padding in bags | Sealed containers + tamper-evident stickers |
| Cloud kitchen | Printed menu flyers touching food | Separate bag for cutlery; food-only inner wrap |
What to check when sourcing packaging
- Food-contact certification — ask suppliers for FSSAI-compliant or IS 10146 (polyethylene) / equivalent declarations.
- Heat and oil resistance — fried items need greaseproof grade, not plain tissue.
- No newsprint bleed — grey recycled kraft without certification is still risky if not rated for direct contact.
- Aggregator branding — outer delivery bags can be branded; inner food wrap must stay compliant.
- Staff habit — retrain counter and packing teams; old newspaper stacks must leave the kitchen.
Cost and operations impact
Greaseproof paper costs more than free newspaper — typically ₹0.30–₹1.50 per wrap depending on size and volume. For a 200-cover QSR, budget ₹3,000–₹8,000/month. That is cheaper than an improvement notice, re-inspection fee, or licence suspension during a drive. Standardise one SKU per item so purchasing stays predictable.
What inspectors photograph
- Food at the pass — any visible newsprint under or around items.
- Packing station — newspaper stacks, magazine liners, flyer stuffing.
- Delivery handoff — rider bags opened for spot checks.
- Storage — unapproved paper stored next to food-prep zones.
- Vendor invoices — whether food-grade packaging is on the books.
How this connects to other Order 716 rules
Packaging sits alongside RUCO oil disposal, free drinking water, and the FDA inspection checklist. Fix packaging tonight — it is visible, cheap, and frequently cited.
30-minute packaging sprint
- Remove all newspaper from kitchen, counter, and packing areas.
- Order one food-grade wrap SKU per top-selling item.
- Brief staff: no exceptions for "just this one order."
- Check delivery bags — replace newspaper padding with kraft liners.
- Run the Inspection Ready audit — packaging is a scored zone.