Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations
The Supreme Court directed the Government of India (GoI) to conclude the revision of Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations 2020 within three months, focusing on the inclusion of front-of-pack warning labels (FoPWL) for products high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat.
Current Labelling Norms and Proposed Amendments
- GoI reported that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) began the amendment process after receiving over 14,000 public comments.
- Draft rules from June 2024 require FMCG companies to display key nutritional information prominently on the front of packets.
Scientific Consensus
- Interpretive warning labels outperform other formats in helping consumers identify unhealthy food products, as supported by major studies from ICMR-NIN and International Institute for Population Sciences.
- The University of North Carolina’s Global Food Research Program highlights the real-world impact of warning labels in reducing consumption of HFSS (high fat, salt, sugar) products.
Health Star Rating System (HSRS)
- Introduced by Australian and New Zealand governments in 2014, HSRS has not significantly improved public health outcomes.
- The system assigns stars from half a star to 5 stars, but lacks explicit unhealthy food labels.
- Examples include a baby cereal high in sugar earning 3 stars and a soft drink loaded with sugar showing 2 stars.
Challenges and Recommendations
- Current star-rating system may mislead consumers, necessitating a clear definition of HFSS products.
- The Economic Survey 2024-25 recommended mandatory warning labels to counteract industry resistance.
- Recommendations include aligning labelling reforms with advertising codes and the Consumer Protection Act 2019, as well as launching national campaigns to educate consumers.
Overall, the focus is on ensuring that FoPNL becomes a meaningful public health intervention, not a marketing tool, to effectively reduce the risks associated with HFSS food consumption. The final decision from GoI on the labelling regulations is eagerly awaited.
