Packaged food products containing high levels of fat, sugar and salt could soon carry prominent warning labels on the front of their packets under a proposal being considered by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
The food safety regulator has informed the Supreme Court that it is planning to introduce a front-of-pack warning system under which products crossing specified nutritional thresholds could display a red-coloured hexagonal warning symbol. The proposed labels are intended to help consumers identify products with high levels of nutrients associated with health risks while making purchasing decisions.
The proposal has been placed before the apex court through a compliance affidavit in proceedings concerning food labelling and consumer awareness.
What will the proposed warning labels say?
Under the proposed system, qualifying products could carry clear declarations such as: High Fat, High Sugar, High Salt, Highly Sweetened Beverage.
The warnings would be displayed prominently on the front of the package, rather than being confined to the detailed nutrition information panel generally provided on the back or side of food packets.
According to FSSAI, the proposed warnings would be designed to make important nutritional information easier for consumers to notice and understand without having to examine detailed nutritional tables.
Which products could get a red warning?
FSSAI has proposed applying the warning system initially to food products containing high levels of at least two nutrients of concern.
The nutritional thresholds would be based on the recommendations contained in the Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024, prepared by the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN).
Products classified as high in fat, sugar and salt commonly referred to as HFSS foods would be identified based on whether they cross the prescribed thresholds.
The regulator has said that the objective is not merely to provide more information, but to make the information immediately visible at the point of purchase.
Why has the Supreme Court become involved?
The proposed labelling framework comes amid proceedings before the Supreme Court on the issue of front-of-package nutritional warnings.
The affidavit was submitted following an August 13 order of the Supreme Court in a petition filed by public charitable trust 3S and Our Health Society, which has sought mandatory front-of-package warning labels for packaged food products across India.
A bench comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran had expressed concern over delays in introducing such warnings and questioned whether adequate measures were being taken to protect public health.
FSSAI’s latest submission outlines the regulatory approach it is considering in response to the broader issue of consumer awareness and food labelling.
Information to be displayed more prominently
One of the key features of the proposed system is the placement of warnings on the front of the pack.
FSSAI has said information relating to added fat, added sugar and salt would be displayed prominently, with the warning symbol using a font size larger than that typically used in the nutrition information panel.
The idea is to ensure that consumers can identify potentially high-risk nutritional characteristics at a glance, rather than having to search through detailed ingredient and nutrition information.
Which foods could be exempt?
The proposed warning framework would not cover every food product.
FSSAI has suggested exemptions for certain categories, including:
Single-ingredient food products
Foods naturally high in fat, sugar or salt
Ghee
Edible oils
Salt
Sugar
Jaggery
Honey
These products would continue to be regulated under the existing food safety and labelling framework.
Warning labels could be introduced in two phases
FSSAI has proposed a phased implementation of the new front-of-pack labelling system.
The regulator says a staggered rollout would give food manufacturers time to adjust their packaging and, where necessary, reformulate products. It would also allow consumers to become familiar with the new warning system.
Phase I
The first phase would cover:
Products high in two or more nutrients of concern
Certain sweetened beverages
Phase II
The second phase would expand the system to products that are high in any one of the specified nutrients.
The phased approach is intended to balance the public-health objective with the practical challenges faced by the food industry in implementing new labelling requirements.
Focus on healthier consumer choices
FSSAI has emphasised that the proposed framework is aimed at helping consumers make more informed dietary choices.
The issue has particular relevance for children and other vulnerable sections of the population, where excessive consumption of foods high in fat, sugar and salt can contribute to broader public-health concerns.
Under the proposed framework, products crossing the relevant ICMR-NIN thresholds would be identified through a prominent red warning symbol on the front of the package.
Proposal yet to become a rule
The proposed warning system is not yet a final regulation. FSSAI has said the proposal will go through the prescribed regulatory process before it can be formally implemented.
If approved, the system would be introduced through amendments to the existing food safety and labelling regulations.
The proposal, if eventually notified and implemented, could significantly change how nutritional information is presented on packaged foods in India, shifting some of the emphasis from detailed nutrition panels to simple, prominent front-of-pack warnings designed to influence consumer choices at the point of purchase.
