The Indian Sellers Collective, a consortium of leading trade associations and sellers from across the country, has raised concerns and urged PM Modi to initiate an investigation into a report issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). The report, they claim, advocates policies that could restrict the growth of small independent retailers selling indigenous food items, allegedly serving the interests of multinational corporations (MNCs).
The Indian Sellers Collective has called for an inquiry into the WHO report, citing national interest as their primary concern.
Highlighting what they perceive as bias in the report, the Indian Sellers Collective pointed out that the WHO’s recommendations include classifying zero-sugar carbonated drinks differently from other carbonated drinks for tax purposes. Currently, all carbonated drinks are subject to a 28% tax rate along with a 12% sin tax, totalling 40%. The WHO’s suggested differentiation implies a potential favouring of multinational corporations, according to the Indian Sellers Collective.
They argue that this report contradicts the WHO’s previous advisories on the prohibition of non-sugar sweeteners commonly found in zero-sugar carbonated drinks. This contradiction, they believe, suggests a biased narrative by the global body, seemingly promoting products from multinational corporations at the expense of the health of millions of Indians.
Another concern raised by the Indian Sellers Collective is that the report disregards traditional Indian food compositions and calls for promoting artificially altered foods based on untested scientific claims. They emphasize the need to preserve Indian culinary traditions, which have evolved over centuries to align with the country’s climate and genetic makeup.
The report’s assertion that high-salt Indian food is detrimental to health is deemed fallacious by the Indian Sellers Collective.
Additionally, the WHO report advocates implementing the Draft Notifications on Food Safety and Standards (Labelling & Display) Amendment Regulations (2022) proposed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). These regulations include Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling (FOPNL), which could lead to Indian foods receiving lower star rankings and being classified as unhealthy. This, they argue, would create an unfair advantage for Western alternatives promoted by multinational corporations.
The Indian Sellers Collective calls for the protection of Indian consumers’ interests by strengthening domestic research bodies like the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). These bodies could conduct extensive studies tailored to Indian dietary habits and assess the health implications of reformulated foods.
Many traditional Indian food products, such as khakra, murukku, dal sev, and bhujiya, are manufactured by cottage industries and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) specific to various regions of the country. The Indian Sellers Collective asserts that there may be an undisclosed agenda to alter India’s food preferences, and the WHO’s report could potentially harm the MSME sector, which generates millions of jobs.