Photo of Shubhaankar Ray

Associate in the General Corporate & Regulatory Advisory Practice at the Delhi NCR office of Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas. His practice areas include mergers & acquisitions and corporate regulatory advisory pertaining to various areas of corporate and commercial laws including business transfers and asset purchases. He also has experience in financial services regulatory advisory and civil & commercial litigations. He can be reached at shubhaankar.ray@cyrilshroff.com

A Closer Look at India’s Pet Care Sector and Regulatory Grey Areas

In Part I of this series, titled ‘The (Pawsome) Pet Care Sector: Through a Legal Lens’, we provided a broad overview of the registration and compliance requirements for entities in the pet care industry. We also discussed factors like the entry options, the sector’s migration to the online mode, and relevant judicial pronouncements.

The legal framework for pet care in India is spread across a host of rules and legislations. The relevant regulatory duties are also divided between various regulators including the Food and Safety Standards Authority of India (“FSSAI”), the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (“CDSCO”), and the Animal Welfare Board of India, among others. Therefore, industry players will have to keep track of a wide range of legislations (along with relevant State rules and municipal laws) to ensure proper compliance.Continue Reading Barking up the Right Tree: A Closer Look at India’s Pet Care Sector and Regulatory Grey Areas

The pet-care sector has seen a massive growth in India, particularly during the pandemic. The sector is estimated to touch INR 10,000 crore by 2025[1], with the number of pets increasing at a rate of 11% per annum[2]. Healthcare services, nutrition, drugs, and pet-grooming form the core of the overall pet care sector.

Alongside growth, the pet care sector has witnessed a noticeable increase in competition with the entrance of several established as well as nascent players. Large organisations (like Emami) view investment in the pet-care sector as a favorable avenue for corporate diversification[3]. Owing to the specialised nature of the sector, the market trend appears to be one of strategic collaborations between large industry players and smaller organisations with niche focus areas. There are also collaborations between smaller organisations which aim to increase their reach and market share in the pet care sector – an example is the recent acquisition of Capt Zack (specializing in pet accessories) by Wiggles (specializing in pet food).Continue Reading The (Pawsome) Pet Care Sector: Legal Insights

Online Reviews

The world today thrives on online purchases[1] and recommendations. Most of us have relied upon or submitted online reviews for a product we have purchased, food we have consumed or even a service we have availed at some point or the other. From a service provider or seller’s perspective, there are several monetary incentives attached to such online reviews and ratings. Service sectors that get the most online reviews are food delivery services, restaurants, hotels, home cleaning or repair works and the likes. In case of products, there aren’t many that are indifferent to online reviews.Continue Reading Are Online Reviews Regulated – The Indian Narrative