FSSAI agrees to red hexagonal warning labels on junk food packages for high salt, sugar and fat content. NEW DELHI: Junk foods will soon carry warning labels highlighting high levels of salt, sugar and fat, with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) telling Supreme Court on Friday that it has agreed to red-coloured hexagonal warnings on the front of food packages to help consumers identify products high in specified nutrients of concern.FSSAI conveyed its position through a compliance affidavit filed before Supreme Court in response to the court’s Aug 13 order on front-of-pack labelling (FoPL).The move comes after the court pushed Centre to act on the issue, saying, “If the Union does it on its own, well and good, otherwise we shall proceed to pass further directions.”Under the framework, products high in specified nutrients would carry prominent red hexagonal warnings reading “HIGH FAT”, “HIGH SALT” and/or “HIGH SUGAR”, as applicable.FSSAI has agreed to exempt single-ingredient foods such as ghee, edible oil, salt, sugar, jaggery and honey from the proposed warnings, subject to applicable food safety and labelling regulations.The regulator has agreed to implement FoPL in phases, giving the industry time to reformulate products. Phase I would cover products high in two or more specified nutrients, while Phase II would extend warnings to products high in any one specified nutrient.Do warning labels work?The framework is based on nutrient thresholds specified under the Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024, issued by ICMR-NIN. The affidavit follows the Supreme Court’s observations on public health, particularly amid concerns over the rising prevalence of childhood obesity. The court said front-of-pack labelling could help consumers make informed purchasing decisions.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe case stems from a PIL filed by NGO 3S and Our Health Society, which approached Supreme Court through advocate Rajiv Shankar Dwivedi, seeking front-of-pack labelling to help consumers make informed choices.FSSAI said the system is intended to provide a “simple, prominent and easily comprehensible warning” to consumers about food products high in specified nutrients of concern. It also cited international examples, including Chile and Canada, where front-of-pack labelling has been adopted.Supreme Court had considered options including coloured indicators, interpretative words, numbers, letters, symbols and percentages for front-of-pack labelling and directed Centre to take a decision and place it on record.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.Here are more Raksha Bandhan wishes, Bhadra kaal and Shubh Muhurat from The Times of India.About the AuthorAnuja JaiswalAnuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, with an impressive 18-year career in narrative journalism. She specializes in health and heritage reporting, expertly simplifying complex health information to make it engaging and understandable for readers. Her deep dives into heritage topics are well-researched, resulting in captivating narratives that resonate with her audience. Over the years, she has worked in Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and West UP, gaining diverse on-ground experience that shapes her storytelling.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosB Nagendra Quits Karnataka Cabinet Amid Valmiki Scam Allegations, Calls Charges Politically DrivenBlast Near Manipur BJP MLA’s House; CM Khemchand Singh Calls Attack ‘Barbaric’Fresh Threat To Kashmiri Pandits: Terror Group ULC Warns Over Reopening Exodus Cases | WatchUS Green Card Wait, USCIS Checks, UK Visas: How Immigration Rules Impact IndiansIndia Plans Javelin Missile Buy From US, Giving Infantry A Battle-Tested Tank-Killing Edge | Watch’Willing & Keen’: Penguin Random House Denies Dropping Sonia Gandhi’s Memoir Over Editorial ChangesGovt Taps EIL For Quality Checks On 5,000 Km Of Road Projects After Modi’s ‘4th-Party Audit’ Jibe469 Dead In Nepal Floods; 3 Bodies Found In Uttar Pradesh; Kathmandu Declines Foreign Rescue TeamsCongress Alleges ₹36,000 Crore ‘Sugar Scam’, Slams Modi Govt Over Festive Price RisePM Modi’s Central Asia Visit: SCO Summit, Uzbekistan Ties, Putin Meet In Focus123Photostories10 vintage baby girl names that still sound fresh todayJungkook style evolution: From bold eyeliner to quiet luxury, how BTS’ star transformed his fashion5 jewellery styling mistakes to avoid with traditional festive outfitsLock Upp 2 fame Akanksha Chamola’s luxurious Mumbai home: Elegant interiors, cosy living room and beautiful mandirH1N1 Or COVID-19? 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NEW DELHI: Junk foods will soon carry warning labels highlighting high levels of salt, sugar and fat, with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) telling Supreme Court on Friday that it has agreed to red-coloured hexagonal warnings on the front of food packages to help consumers identify products high in specified nutrients of concern.FSSAI conveyed its position through a compliance affidavit filed before Supreme Court in response to the court’s Aug 13 order on front-of-pack labelling (FoPL).The move comes after the court pushed Centre to act on the issue, saying, “If the Union does it on its own, well and good, otherwise we shall proceed to pass further directions.”Under the framework, products high in specified nutrients would carry prominent red hexagonal warnings reading “HIGH FAT”, “HIGH SALT” and/or “HIGH SUGAR”, as applicable.FSSAI has agreed to exempt single-ingredient foods such as ghee, edible oil, salt, sugar, jaggery and honey from the proposed warnings, subject to applicable food safety and labelling regulations.The regulator has agreed to implement FoPL in phases, giving the industry time to reformulate products. Phase I would cover products high in two or more specified nutrients, while Phase II would extend warnings to products high in any one specified nutrient.
Do warning labels work?
The framework is based on nutrient thresholds specified under the Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024, issued by ICMR-NIN. The affidavit follows the Supreme Court’s observations on public health, particularly amid concerns over the rising prevalence of childhood obesity. The court said front-of-pack labelling could help consumers make informed purchasing decisions.
Share your thoughts in the comments
Be respectful · TOI community guidelines
The case stems from a PIL filed by NGO 3S and Our Health Society, which approached Supreme Court through advocate Rajiv Shankar Dwivedi, seeking front-of-pack labelling to help consumers make informed choices.FSSAI said the system is intended to provide a “simple, prominent and easily comprehensible warning” to consumers about food products high in specified nutrients of concern. It also cited international examples, including Chile and Canada, where front-of-pack labelling has been adopted.Supreme Court had considered options including coloured indicators, interpretative words, numbers, letters, symbols and percentages for front-of-pack labelling and directed Centre to take a decision and place it on record.
