7 hrs ago
India’s Proposed Food Warning Labels Face Health, Industry Backlash
India is planning warning labels on some packaged foods and drinks.
The labels would be red hexagons.
They would appear when a product is too high in at least two nutrients: sugar, salt or saturated fat.
Health experts think this rule is too weak because foods high in only one nutrient might not receive a warning.
Activists also say some sugary or fatty foods would be exempt.
Food companies think the rule is too strict because many products could get red labels.
They want foods judged by a normal serving size instead of a 100-gram amount.
The proposal is meant to help people make healthier choices and address obesity concerns.
India’s Supreme Court will review the proposal on September 10.
India’s food regulator proposed a red hexagonal warning for products exceeding limits in at least two of three nutrients: added sugar, salt or saturated fat.
Health experts say the two-nutrient requirement could allow products high in only one harmful nutrient to avoid warnings.
Activists also object to exemptions for honey, jaggery and similar foods, citing loopholes in the proposal.
Food companies oppose the proposed 100-gram benchmark and strict thresholds, warning that many products could receive red labels.
India’s Supreme Court is scheduled to consider the proposal on September 10 after the regulator submitted it for review.
- Who
- The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, health experts, activists, food companies and India’s Supreme Court are central to the dispute.
- What
- The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India proposed red front-of-pack labels for products exceeding limits in at least two of three nutrients: added sugar, salt or saturated fat.
- Where
- India; the proposal applies to packaged food and drinks sold in the country.
- When
- The proposal was announced last week, and the Supreme Court is scheduled to consider it on September 10.
- Why
- The proposal is intended to help consumers make informed choices amid concerns about obesity and rising sales of ultra-processed food.
Health advocates and experts
Food companies and manufacturers
Two-nutrient requirement
Health advocates and experts
Health experts and activists say requiring a product to exceed limits for two nutrients could let foods high in only sugar, salt or saturated fat escape scrutiny.
Food companies and manufacturers
Companies have not specifically endorsed the two-nutrient rule in the reported comments, but they broadly argue that the proposed system is too strict and could label too many products.
Nutritional thresholds
Health advocates and experts
Health advocates support strong warnings, citing obesity concerns and research linking warning labels with changes in purchasing behavior.
Food companies and manufacturers
Food executives say the proposed thresholds are stricter than those in many foreign markets and could make “everything” receive a red warning.
How products should be assessed
Health advocates and experts
Activists object to loopholes and exemptions for honey, jaggery and similar foods, saying the proposal may fail to identify unhealthy products.
Food companies and manufacturers
Industry representatives favor assessing products by serving size rather than the proposed 100-gram benchmark, arguing that consumers may eat only small amounts of foods such as pickles, ketchup or traditional sweets.
Key facts
- Regulator
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
- Proposed label
- A red-coloured hexagon on products exceeding limits for at least two of three nutrients
- Nutrients covered
- Added sugar, salt and saturated fat
- Proposed benchmark
- Nutrient levels would be assessed using 100 grams rather than a single serving
- Proposed thresholds cited
- Added sugar above 3% of solid products by weight and fat above 4.2%
- Court review
- India’s Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the matter on September 10
- Industry size
- India’s packaged food industry is valued at more than $100 billion
- Chile comparison
- A study reported a 23.7% decline in sugary-drink purchases after Chile’s 2016 warning-label law
Quotes
Senior industry executive
Unnamed senior executive involved in the food industry’s response to the proposed rules
“Nobody consumes 100 grams of a pickle or ketchup.”
CNBC TV 18
“Everything will be red.”
theprint.in
Barry Popkin
Professor in the Department of Nutrition at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health
“It will be meaningless. No other country uses the double nutrient approach. Every country with warning labels has a separate label with large fonts for each key nutrient.”
CNBC TV 18
theprint.in
Firoz Naqvi
Director general of India’s Federation of Sweets and Namkeen Manufacturers
“A substantial majority of packaged traditional sweets and namkeen could attract warnings. It could negatively affect consumer perception and demand.”
CNBC TV 18
theprint.in
Sources
Related news
India Proposes Red Front-Pack Warnings for High-Nutrient Foods
India’s Front-of-Pack Food Warning Debate Faces Industry Pushback
India Drops Food Warning Labels as Court Reviews Policy
FSSAI Proposes Red Front-Pack Warnings For Unhealthy Foods
Nestle Seeks Industry Input in India’s Food Warning Debate
FSSAI proposes nutrition disclosures, not warning labels, on packaged foods
India's 7.8% GDP Growth Sparks Questions Over Economic Reality
Congress Questions Haryana’s Falling Sex Ratio Despite Beti Bachao
Three Killed, Several Injured in Rewa Bus Collision
West Bengal Plans Mega Durga Puja Show at Eden Gardens
NVIDIA CEO urges Indian startups to build local AI economy
