Food companies should have six months to one year to transition to the proposed front-of-pack nutrition labelling regime, according to Milind Deora, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Subordinate Legislation.
Deora described a one-year transition period as a fair timeframe for the industry to prepare its supply chains, packaging and compliance systems for the new labelling requirements.
The comments come as the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) works on a proposed front-of-pack warning system and has told the Supreme Court that it would require around four months to finalise the regulations, including the consultation process, followed by a 365-day transition period for food businesses.
“I think six months to one year is a fair time frame wherein industry has understood that now this is a reality, and that consumers want to be informed,” Deora said.
According to him, the transition period would give companies adequate time to prepare their supply chains and ensure that manufacturers, distributors and other stakeholders understand the new requirements.
Deora, however, said the transition period should not be interpreted as a reason to delay basic nutritional disclosure.
He argued that nutritional information currently provided on the back of food packs should be made available on the front immediately, allowing consumers to access important information without having to study detailed nutritional panels.
“Bringing nutritional information to the front of pack has to happen now,” he said.
According to Deora, India should eventually move towards a simpler system that allows consumers to understand the nutritional profile of a product quickly, rather than requiring them to interpret complex nutritional information.
He suggested that a simplified warning or rating system could be introduced during the transition period, with the industry given time to fully adapt its packaging and communication.
FSSAI has proposed red hexagonal warnings on the front of packaged foods containing specified levels of nutrients of concern, including sugar, salt and fat.
The proposed system is intended to provide consumers with a simple visual indication of nutritional concerns at the point of purchase.
The front-of-pack system is part of a broader regulatory effort to improve transparency around packaged food and enable consumers to make more informed choices.
The proposed framework has also triggered debate within the food industry over nutrient thresholds, serving sizes, the design and colour of warnings and the time required for implementation.
Food companies have sought clarity on the final rules before making extensive changes to packaging and product formulations.
Deora also supported FSSAI’s recent enforcement action against food companies and restaurants, particularly in cases involving allegedly misleading labels and claims.
He said stronger enforcement could improve accountability across the food industry and described the recent regulatory action as a “wake-up call” for businesses.
“As far as the FSSAI cracking down on companies and saying that these are misleading labels, I 100% think these are good things,” Deora said.
He also called for greater public disclosure of violations and enforcement actions.
FSSAI and state food-safety authorities have increasingly been making enforcement information public, including details of inspections and instances of non-compliance. Some food companies have raised concerns over the practice of publicly identifying businesses during enforcement proceedings.
The debate highlights the balance regulators are attempting to establish between informing consumers about food-safety violations and providing businesses with appropriate procedural safeguards.
For food manufacturers, front-of-pack labelling could require significant changes to packaging artwork, printing schedules, inventory management and product communication.
Companies with large portfolios may also need to review products individually to determine whether they meet the proposed thresholds and whether warning labels would be required.
A transition period would therefore allow businesses to phase out existing packaging and incorporate the new requirements into their regular packaging cycles.
At the same time, Deora’s comments suggest that the transition should not delay the broader objective of making nutritional information more accessible to consumers.
The proposed front-of-pack regime is now being closely watched by food manufacturers, retailers and consumers as India moves towards a more prominent system of nutritional disclosure.