CCPA fines Amazon, Flipkart Rs 10 lakh each over herbicide sales

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed heavy fines on Amazon, Flipkart and JioMart for selling and advertising an agro-chemical product without registration.

CCPA has fined Amazon and Flipkart Rs 10 lakh each, and JioMart Rs 5 lakh. The case relates to the sale and advertising of a herbicide product called Cyclosinon Herbicide.

According to CCPA, the Cyclosinon herbicide was being sold on all three platforms, but the name of the active chemical present in it and its other ingredients were not clearly disclosed. During the investigation, the Ministry of Agriculture told CCPA that no chemical named Cyclosinon is included in the schedule of the Insecticides Act, 1968. This raises questions about the very approval and scrutiny of the sale and marketing of this herbicide.

As per CCPA's order records, the order against Amazon is dated September 16, 2026, while the order against Flipkart and JioMart was issued on September 22, 2026.

The case originated from a complaint by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, which was originally filed by the Crop Care Federation of India. The investigation found that certain legal conditions must be met for the sale and use of agro-chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides. CCPA said the online listing of the Cyclosinon herbicide did not carry the required information.

In its order, CCPA stated that Amazon has so far received 38,410 orders for the Cyclosinon herbicide, with a total of 43,634 units sold. The total value of these sales has been put at around Rs 96.42 lakh.

CCPA has ordered Amazon, Flipkart and JioMart to immediately stop the sale and advertising of the Cyclosinon herbicide. The three companies have also been asked to conduct a self-audit of their platforms to identify products that violate the law or could pose a risk to public safety. The companies must submit a report within 15 days of receiving the order.