The Supreme Court on Monday reserved its judgment on a plea concerning mandatory front-of-pack warning labels (FoPL) for packaged foods and beverages high in sugar, salt and fat.
A apex court bench comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K. The matter concerns the proposed warning labels for packaged food and beverages containing high levels of sugar, salt and fat. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had proposed a single-phase rollout of Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling (FoPL), with prominent warning labels on packaged food products that are high in salt, sugar or fat. The warning label is intended to give consumers clear and easily identifiable nutritional information at the point of purchase, helping them make informed food choices.
The regulator said the proposed warning format bears similarities to the model adopted in Canada and is designed to highlight nutrients that could pose health risks when consumed in excess. The warning label would apply even if a food product exceeds the prescribed threshold for just one nutrient of concern, such as salt, sugar or fat, according to the proposal. Earlier reporting noted: The FSSAI had earlier told the top court that it proposed to provide a prominent front-of-pack warning label in red for food products high in added saturated fat, added sugar and salt. Earlier reporting noted: In a compliance affidavit filed last month, the FSSAI said the two-phased proposal is intended to provide a simple, prominent and easily comprehensible warning to consumers regarding food products which are high in specified nutrients of concern.
Vinod Chandran had earlier sought detailed responses from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on its proposed two-phase implementation of the warning-label regime. The proposal was submitted in an affidavit before the Supreme Court, which had sought a clear timeline from the food regulator and the government for introducing front-of-pack warning labels. Earlier reporting noted: The FSSAI has now proposed adopting a red hexagonal warning label for packaged food products high in nutrients of concern such as sugar, fat and salt and it would use a red hexagon against a white square-shaped background on the front of food packages.
