The Supreme Court of India has issued a decisive directive to the central government to finalize long-pending regulations on front-of-pack food labeling (FoPNL), underscoring the urgency of combating rising rates of obesity and lifestyle-related diseases in the country.
In an order passed on April 9 while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL), the court mandated that the government reach a final decision on the draft amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, within three months. The PIL demanded mandatory front-of-pack warning labels (FoPWL) for pre-packaged food products high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat.
According to government submissions, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has already initiated the amendment process, having received over 14,000 public comments on the proposed norms. The FSSAI’s June 2024 draft required FMCG companies to prominently display nutritional content – including total sugar, salt, saturated fat, and their percentage of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) – on the front of food packaging.
Scientific Consensus Backs Warning Labels, Not Star Ratings
Nutrition experts and public health researchers argue that interpretive warning labels, such as black stop symbols or red alerts indicating high-risk nutrient levels, are far more effective than the proposed health star rating system.
A growing body of evidence, including two recent studies by the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN) and the International Institute for Population Sciences, shows that warning labels consistently outperform star ratings in helping consumers make healthier food choices.
The Global Food Research Program at the University of North Carolina further confirms that only warning labels have demonstrated real-world impact in reducing consumption of high-fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS) foods.
Despite this, India’s current draft regulations propose adopting a star-rating model similar to the one introduced in Australia and New Zealand in 2014 – a system that has not shown meaningful improvements in public health over the past decade.
Critics argue that the star-rating system, which assigns 0.5 to 5 stars based on an algorithm, often fails to label unhealthy foods clearly. For example, a baby cereal high in sugar might receive 3 stars, and sugar-laden beverages might still appear to be acceptable with 2 stars, misleading consumers rather than informing them.
“Stars are for hotels and air conditioners, not nutrition labels,” said Arun Gupta, former member of the Prime Minister’s Council on India’s Nutrition Challenges. “People need bold, easy-to-understand warnings – not vague, industry-friendly ratings.”
Public Health at Stake
Unhealthy diets are now linked to 54% of all deaths in India, according to ICMR-NIN guidelines. The government’s target to halt the rise in obesity by 2025 is under threat unless urgent steps are taken to reduce the consumption of HFSS foods.
Despite a directive from the Prime Minister’s Office in 2021 to expedite FoPNL regulations, the 2022 draft notification leaned heavily toward star ratings – a move widely seen as a compromise influenced by industry lobbying.
Experts and activists insist that warning labels must not be diluted into a marketing tool. Instead, they should be treated as a public health intervention that empowers consumers to make informed decisions and holds food manufacturers accountable.
Economic Survey, Civil Society Backs Warning Labels
The 2024-25 Economic Survey has also backed the implementation of mandatory warning labels, noting how misleading packaging, such as images of fruits and vegetables on unhealthy processed foods, confuses consumers.
Consumer rights groups have echoed this call, demanding that the government:
Finalize a clear, scientific definition of HFSS products (already outlined in the 2022 draft),
Mandate warning labels on all products exceeding HFSS thresholds,
Align food labelling rules with the Consumer Protection Act and advertising regulations.
Launch nationwide awareness campaigns to educate the public on identifying unhealthy food.
The Supreme Court’s directive has created momentum for long-awaited reforms. Whether the government will heed scientific advice and public sentiment or continue to compromise under industry pressure remains to be seen.
The final decision, due in July, will determine whether India prioritizes its people’s health over packaged food profits.
As Arun Gupta aptly summarized, “This is no longer about labelling. It’s about lives.”