Big change for packaged foods? India proposes warning against high sugar, salt and fat, report says | Today’s news

India’s food safety regulator has proposed introducing warning labels on the front of packaged food and drinks, marking a shift from its earlier stance amid growing demands for clearer information on products high in sugar, salt and fat, Reuters reported.

The proposal could pose a significant challenge to food and beverage companies operating in India’s more than $100 billion market, the report said, with major players along with industry bodies representing companies including Nestlé and PepsiCo having previously opposed front-of-pack warnings, saying such labels could confuse consumers.

But consumer advocates and the Supreme Court have repeatedly pushed for stronger warning labels that point to growing health problems like obesity.

What FSSAI said

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed using a red hexagon warning label on packaged foods that contain high levels of at least two of the three nutrients – saturated fat, sugar or salt. The proposal was outlined in a filing filed with the Supreme Court on Friday and reviewed by Reuters.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has tried for years to introduce some form of warning labels, but dropped its proposal this year after private companies opposed the measures, Reuters reported earlier this week. Since the story was published, consumers and health experts have expressed their anger on social media, as companies such as ⁠Nestle have voluntarily used similar labels in many European markets for years.

“The warning label must carry relevant statements such as ‘HIGH FAT’, ‘HIGH SUGAR’, ‘HIGH SALT’ and/or ‘HIGHLY SWEET BEVERAGE’… so that consumers can easily identify products high in specified nutrients,” FSSAI said in a filing on Friday.

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The mechanism will “facilitate informed food choices, especially in relation to children and other vulnerable population groups,” he added.

Reuters is the first to report the court filing, which has not been made public. The submission was made to the Supreme Court as it heard calls from health campaigners for long-delayed warning labels and earlier this month told the government to act quickly.

Currently, manufacturers are only required to list ingredients and basic nutritional information on the back of the packaging.

“We are considering the government’s proposal and our experts will review it,” said Rajiv Shankar Dvivedi, senior counsel for the non-profit organization “3S And Our Health”, which has challenged the government in the Supreme Court over the lack of warning labels.

During a tense meeting in March, industry officials argued that such warning labels were confusing and ineffective and urged a focus on promoting portion control, according to tapes reported by Reuters this week.

It’s “very simplistic” to believe that a consumer who hasn’t read ingredient lists “will be so informed by seeing a symbol or an icon on a label” that their diet will improve significantly, Coca-Cola India chief Mili Bhattacharya said at a March 19 meeting.

She added that warning labels are unnecessary because they won’t stop consumers from having sugary and salty foods otherwise. Indian doctors have done a good job of teaching their patients what foods to avoid, she said.

The FSSAI had earlier in August told the Supreme Court that it was “difficult” to align India’s packaging requirements with international standards, a stance that echoes the food industry’s position. The court had earlier suggested that India could consider a labeling system similar to Israel, under which a red warning would appear if a product is high in even one of the three nutrients – salt, sugar or fat.

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The Supreme Court criticized the government this month, stressing that “the world should know that India cares a lot about the overall health of its citizens”, while pointing to the country’s rising obesity levels.

However, the proposal outlined in the latest FSSAI filing would require a red warning label only if at least two of the specified nutrients, such as salt and sugar, are present at high levels.

A recent study published in The Lancet estimates that around 450 million Indians could be overweight or obese by 2050.

According to FSSAI’s filing on Friday, the new labeling rules should be phased in to give food companies time to comply, while single-ingredient products would be excluded from the requirement.