LUCKNOW, Oct. 30 -- From fat-content tags on boxes to stricter kitchen hygiene and shelf-life declarations, Lucknow's sweet shops are stepping up preparations for the Diwali rush under tighter food safety norms. Rising costs of milk, khoya, dry fruits and other ingredients are also set to make several festive favourites 8% to 10% costlier this year, according to the sweet manufacturers. From October 15, the Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (UP FSDA) mandated the display of fat content, manufacturing date and expiry or use-by date on sweets. Loose sweets must carry manufacturing and use-by dates, along with a timestamp, according to the UP FSDA. Anil Vermani of Rajlaxmi Sweets said preparations were in full swing. "All sweets are now sold with tags mentioning fat content, manufacturing and expiry dates. The main focus is on cleanliness and hygiene," he said, adding that additional staff had been deployed. He said the biggest challenge would come during Dhanteras, Choti Diwali and Badi Diwali, when sales peak. "We are keeping tags ready in advance. Input costs have shot up, with milk, cashew, pistachio and silver foil becoming costlier. Prices of Kaju Barfi, Sohan Barfi and other ghee and dry fruit sweets will be up by 8% to 10%," he added. Vermani said dates and honey were being used in sweets aimed at health-conscious buyers. Gunjan Tolani of Kanchan Sweets said compliance had long been part of the outlet's operations. "No sudden changes were needed as standard procedures were already being followed," she said. "Despite efforts to absorb costs, margins are squeezed as raw material prices have spiked," Tolani said. Khoya and ghee-based sweets are expected to cost Rs 40 to Rs 50 more per kg, while premium varieties such as kaju katli could see price increases of Rs 50 to Rs 100. Srijal Gupta of Madhurima Sweets said the units were maintaining near-total compliance. "While gloves and caps were always mandatory, this year full sleeves and aprons have been mandated to eliminate human error. Raw materials have surged 25% to 30%, leading to retail escalation of about 10%," he said. The outlet is also offering premium gifting options, including sugar-conscious varieties made with dates, figs and roasted dry fruits, priced between Rs 1,500 and Rs 1,700. Shankar Gupta of Radhelal Parampara Sweets said extra staff had been deployed during the festive rush to ensure compliance with food safety rules....