The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed the introduction of red hexagonal warning labels on packaged food products containing high levels of fat, sugar and salt (HFSS), marking a significant step towards front-of-pack nutrition labelling in India.
The proposal was placed before the Supreme Court through a compliance affidavit filed by FSSAI in response to a Public Interest Litigation seeking mandatory front-of-pack warning labels for packaged foods based on their fat, sugar and salt content.
Under the proposed framework, a red hexagonal warning symbol would be displayed on packaged foods if the product exceeds prescribed limits for at least two of three identified components — saturated fat, added sugar and salt.
The thresholds for determining whether a product qualifies for the warning label would be based on dietary guidelines for Indian citizens issued by the National Institute of Nutrition.
Depending on the nutritional composition of a product, the front-of-pack warning could carry declarations such as “high fat”, “high sugar”, “high salt” or “highly sweetened beverage”. The system is intended to give consumers easily visible information about certain nutritional characteristics while making purchasing decisions.
The proposal could have significant implications for packaged food manufacturers, particularly companies operating in categories where sugar, saturated fat or salt levels are relatively high. If adopted, manufacturers falling within the prescribed thresholds would have to incorporate the warning symbols and relevant declarations into their packaging.
FSSAI has proposed that the front-of-pack labelling regulations should be implemented in phases rather than introduced immediately across the industry. The regulator has indicated that adequate time could be provided to food businesses to comply with the new requirements.
The phased approach would give manufacturers time to make necessary changes to packaging and labels before the regulations become fully applicable.
At the same time, certain products are proposed to remain outside the scope of the front-of-pack warning system. According to FSSAI’s submission, single-ingredient products such as ghee, sugar, jaggery, honey and edible oil would be exempt from the proposed labelling requirements.
The proposal is significant for India’s packaged food sector as front-of-pack labelling has been under discussion for several years. The red hexagonal format, if finally adopted, would introduce a prominent visual warning system for qualifying packaged foods.
The proposal is currently before the Supreme Court and forms part of the continuing deliberations over how nutritional information should be communicated to Indian consumers on packaged foods.