Shivanand Pandit
From KC Venugopal defaming Geeta to Owaisi calling 24 crore BJP voters indoctrinated: How Hinduphobia is normalised in parliament, led by Rahul Gandhi
To raise awareness, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) approved a proposal on June 6, 2024, mandating that nutritional information such as total sugars, salt, and saturated fat be prominently highlighted in large, bold letters on packaged food labels. This decision to amend the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, was made during the 44th meeting of the Food Authority. A statement indicated that the draft notification for the amendment will now be made public for further suggestions and objections.The FSSAI’s initiative represents a major advancement in boosting consumer awareness and encouraging healthier eating habits throughout India. By providing essential nutritional information in a more accessible and comprehensible manner, the regulatory body aims to tackle the rising health issues associated with dietary habits in the country.
According to the FSSAI, the amendment aims to empower consumers to better understand the nutritional value of the products they consume, enabling them to make healthier choices. The amendment specifies that information regarding the per-serve percentage contribution to Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for total sugar, total saturated fat, and sodium content must be highlighted in bold letters. Regulation 2(v) and 5(3) of the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulation, 2020, detail the requirements for displaying serving size and nutritional information on food product labels. Additionally, the amendment seeks to address the rise of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and promote public health and well-being. By prioritizing the development of clear and distinguishable labelling requirements, this amendment aligns with global efforts to combat NCDs and improve public health.
In India, food companies are presently required to display basic nutritional information on the back of their packaging. However, internationally, many food companies must adhere to front-of-pack labelling, which has been shown to help reduce the consumption of unhealthy foods. Consumer rights groups in India are also advocating for this change.
Ominous aspects of advertisements
Misleading advertisements promoting high-fat, sugary, or salty products are increasingly prevalent in India, facilitated by legal loopholes and inadequate oversight. These marketing campaigns often employ emotional appeals, celebrity endorsements, and sensory triggers to depict unhealthy foods and beverages as desirable choices. Crucially, they frequently obscure or omit crucial information about the ingredients used, thereby violating regulations aimed at safeguarding public health.
To address this issue effectively, there is a pressing need for comprehensive reforms within regulatory frameworks across various government ministries. Establishing robust monitoring mechanisms at the state level is imperative to ensure compliance and accountability among advertisers and manufacturers. Furthermore, there is a critical requirement for a precise definition of misleading advertisements, as current ambiguities allow numerous companies to exploit regulatory gaps.
Many of these advertisements entice consumers with incentives such as cashback offers, vouchers, or discounts, diverting attention from the nutritional implications of the products. Moreover, emotional appeals emphasizing themes like romance, passion, and a sense of belonging are frequently used without transparently disclosing essential nutritional details such as sugar, salt, and fat content.
Addressing the proliferation of misleading advertisements for unhealthy products demands coordinated efforts from public health officials, policymakers, nutritionists, and vigilant consumers. Strengthening regulatory frameworks, enhancing monitoring systems, and enforcing transparency in advertising practices are essential steps towards promoting healthier consumer choices and safeguarding public health in India.
Better food choice
India’s food regulator is considering implementing a front-of-pack nutrition labelling (FOPNL) system, which includes a star rating to indicate the nutritional value of food items. According to a 2024 report by brokerage Anand Rathi, India’s packaged consumer food market—which encompasses dairy, biscuits, snacks and sweets, baked products, and ready-to-eat meals—is valued at ₹4,240 billion. Additionally, the FSSAI is enforcing stricter regulations to ensure transparency from brands. Earlier this year, the FSSAI issued advisories to e-commerce platforms, requesting the removal of the term ‘health drinks’ from beverages and powdered drinks. It also directed food business operators (FBOs) to eliminate claims of “100% fruit juices” from the labels and advertisements of reconstituted fruit juices, among other similar directives.
The FSSAI’s proposed norms will empower consumers to make healthier food choices and raise awareness about harmful nutrients in food products. Highlighting added sugar, in addition to total sugar, would be even more beneficial. Most natural foods, such as milk, fruits, and dry fruits, contain inherent sugars. Therefore, indicating only total sugars may not accurately reflect the food’s nature. Emphasizing added sugar in bold would provide clearer and more meaningful information.
On the other hand, the transition for large, mid-sized, and small players in the food industry will incur significant costs, including reprinting labels, reformulating products, and repackaging. Adapting to these changes will take time, and the industry will need to ensure that operations remain unaffected. The process will begin with the release of a draft notification for objections and approval, which could take 3-6 months in the best-case scenario. Following this, the FSSAI will issue a final notification, granting a grace period for compliance. The length of this period will be at the FSSAI’s discretion, taking into account market size and the complexity of implementing the amendment.
Merely enlarging the text on the back of the packaging is inadequate for educating consumers. Countries such as Sri Lanka and Peru have required brands to prominently display warnings on the front of the pack, using specific dimensions to highlight if the product is high in salt, sugar, saturated fats, etc. This approach more effectively influences consumer behaviour.
Strict rules are necessary
The initiative by FSSAI is a commendable step forward. Although information about packaged food ingredients is currently available, it often appears in small fonts that are easily overlooked. This move aims to empower consumers by ensuring they have access to clear and prominent information, enabling them to make informed choices. While FSSAI seeks input from various stakeholders, including industry players, the proposed amendments appear promising for implementation.
This initiative is crucial for several reasons. As India undergoes rapid urbanization, the consumption of packaged foods is increasing. This trend is particularly concerning among children, who are increasingly consuming packaged snacks and similar products, posing significant health risks. According to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund’s “World Obesity Atlas” (2022), India is projected to have over 27 million obese children by 2030, constituting 10% of the global total. Alongside the challenge of malnutrition, the prevalence of overweight children is also on the rise.Therefore, FSSAI’s anticipated changes are rightly expected to enhance public health, mitigate non-communicable diseases, and promote overall well-being in the population.
Although the FSSAI must be commended for being proactive in this regard, just mentioning the nutritional information in a relatively big font would be of limited use if consumers don’t understand what they mean and when things start becoming unsafe. To be fair, while per-serve percentage contribution to the recommended dietary allowances would be available in bold for total saturated fat, sodium content, and sugar, it will be important to increase mass awareness. Departments dealing with public health at both the Centre and in states would be well advised to run public campaigns to spread awareness. Better food choices will also help reduce the pressure on health systems.
The other issue is to tightly regulate what goes into packaged food. This is where the food regulator needs to be more active. For instance, Indians got to know that popular spice brands had harmful substances only when they were tested in foreign countries. It was exposed by a foreign non-governmental organisation that a popular brand of baby food was using extra sugar in developing countries like India. It was only after an internet influencer’s revelation that e-commerce websites were advised not to list certain brands in the health drink category.
Thus, it is critical that the food regulator not only clarify what is permissible but also ensure that all companies in the food business follow the guidelines. The regulator needs to ensure all companies play by the rules of the game. This is critical for public health in India and processed food and related items can be a big export opportunity, which will benefit the entire value chain and help create employment. The percentage share of processed food in total agriculture food exports nearly doubled between 2014-15 and 2022-23 to about 26%. Following global standards in food regulation will increase opportunities.
The writer is a tax specialist, financial adviser, guest faculty and public speaker based in Goa. He can be reached at [email protected] or 9822983420
