In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court has ordered packaged food companies to display ingredient and nutritional information on product packaging, ending a decade-long battle over front-of-pack labeling. The directive, aimed at empowering consumers to make healthier choices, has sparked mixed reactions, with nutrition advocates cheering the move and industry leaders warning of rising costs amid an ongoing market slowdown.
The court’s decision follows a public interest litigation pushing for mandatory front-of-pack warnings. Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan emphasized the need for transparency, noting that many products, like Maggi and Kurkure, lack clear information. “Consumers deserve to know what’s in their food,” Justice Pardiwala remarked, urging the government to enforce the rule within three months. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has until July 2025 to finalize the updated regulations.
Nutrition experts hailed the ruling as a long-overdue step toward public health. “Clear labeling will drive consumers toward healthier options and force companies to reformulate products,” said Arun Gupta, convenor of the National Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi). Consumer Voice, a health advocacy group, echoed this sentiment, highlighting that many “healthy” packaged foods hide high levels of sugar, salt, and fat.
However, food companies expressed concerns about the financial and operational burden. “This could hit us hard during an already tough market,” said the CEO of a major packaged foods firm, speaking anonymously. Another industry executive noted that new packaging requirements would increase costs, as existing packs cannot simply be stickered with additional information.
Nestle India, maker of Maggi and KitKat, stated it is engaging with FSSAI and will comply with the new rules. “All Maggi packs already list ingredients and nutritional details,” a spokesperson said. PepsiCo, Britannia, ITC, and Haldiram did not respond to requests for comment.
The ruling builds on FSSAI’s efforts last year to mandate bold nutritional labeling for sugar, salt, and fat content. While a previous proposal for a Health Star Rating system stalled due to industry pushback, the current directive signals growing scrutiny of packaged foods. Companies like Nestle, ITC, and Britannia are already prioritizing nutrition strategies, but the new rules may accelerate reformulations to meet consumer and regulatory demands.