Furniture Industry Demands QCO Aligned With Intl Standards; Implementation Staggered

New Delhi, Nov 20 (KNN) Furniture makers have sought for the review of the quality control order (QCO) and urged the government to configure the norms with international standards, reported TOI.

The Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) has proposed that imported and domestically produced beds and tables must be able to take a load of 110 kg and 60 kg respectively.

This is on the basis of average and pass the stability, strength and durability tests.

Industry, however, believes that the quality control order (QCO), which applies to imported and domestically produced beds and chairs, is putting excessive burden on them as they are tough to comply with, reported TOI.

Swedish giant such as IKEA and industry bodies have sought a relook at the standards, arguing that they should be aligned with international standards. They also want a phased implementation plan, instead of rolling them out in one shot.

The government proposes to bring wooden furniture under QCO from 2025.

At a recent meeting convened by consumer affairs secretary Rohit Kumar Singh, BIS officials argued that user behaviour in India is different from several other parts of the world where companies like IKEA operate.

People in India, for instance, climb on to a table or a bed to clean a ceiling fan, which are non-existent in many parts of Europe, for instance.

The problem is not limited to wooden furniture alone with several other industries such as footwear and toys also raising the red flag over QCOs.

(KNN Bureau)