India’s proposed front-of-pack food warning system is facing a challenge in the Supreme Court, with health activists arguing that the framework could allow some packaged foods high in sugar, salt or saturated fat to avoid warning labels.
Nonprofit group 3S And Our Health has objected to the government’s proposal, which would require a product to exceed prescribed limits for at least two of three nutrients — added sugar, salt and saturated fat — before receiving a red hexagonal warning label.
Health advocates argue that each nutrient should independently trigger a warning if it crosses the prescribed limit.
“A product that is high in sugar alone remains a diabetes risk,” Rajiv Shankar Dvivedi, a lawyer representing the organisation, said in the filing.
The concern is that a product containing excessive sugar, for example, may not carry a warning if its salt and saturated fat levels remain below the limits. Activists say this could make the label less useful for consumers trying to understand what is unhealthy about a product.
The government has defended the proposal, saying the system is planned to be introduced in phases. A later phase could bring separate warnings for individual nutrients, although the timeline has not yet been finalised.
The outcome could have major implications for India’s more than $100 billion packaged food and beverage industry.
Stricter warning labels would not simply change packaging. They could influence consumer buying decisions and encourage manufacturers to reduce sugar, salt or saturated fat in their products to avoid prominent warning symbols.
The debate has also brought attention to the role of the food industry in shaping labelling regulations. Reports that major food and beverage companies and industry associations opposed individual nutrient warnings have increased scrutiny of the regulatory process.
Public-health groups point to countries such as Chile as evidence that simple front-of-pack warnings can influence consumer behaviour. Chile introduced separate black warning symbols for products high in specific nutrients in 2016. Research has linked the system to a 23.7% decline in purchases of sugary drinks.
Health advocates argue that a similar nutrient-specific approach would make it easier for Indian consumers to immediately understand whether a packaged food is high in sugar, salt or saturated fat.
The debate comes amid growing concern over obesity and diet-related diseases in India. A Lancet study estimated that around 180 million Indian adults were overweight or obese in 2021, with the number projected to reach 450 million by 2050.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the latest objection on September 10.
For food manufacturers, the final decision could have consequences well beyond the label itself. It could influence how products are formulated, marketed and positioned, while determining how clearly consumers are warned about high levels of potentially unhealthy nutrients.