The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Central Government have been given three months by the Supreme Court of India to complete and implement revised food labeling laws.
All packaged food products must have clear nutritional information displayed on the front in accordance with these regulations.
FSSAI and Central Government Given Three Months To Implement Revised Food Labeling Laws
The ruling follows a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) brought by health advocacy organizations 3S and Our Health Society, who claimed that the current labels fail to disclose salt, added sugar, and saturated fats to consumers.
Citing inadequate transparency in food packaging as a reason for the violation of the right to life and health, the petition was submitted under Article 32 of the Constitution.
The Court connected growing consumption of ultra-processed foods and insufficient front-of-pack warnings to the rise in lifestyle diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension.
The new rules require manufacturers to prominently display:
- percentage of saturated fats, sugar, and sodium (salt) in each serving.
- It is necessary to display these figures in relation to the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA).
- The front panel’s labels need to be in bold, readable fonts.
Extra label specifications for particular goods:
- A required logo in the proper size must be displayed on milk and milk products.
- A declaration in capital letters must be placed inside a rectangular box containing coffee-chicory mixtures.
The Indian Nutrition Rating (INR) will be introduced:
- Based on both positive (fiber, protein) and negative (sugar, salt, fat) nutrients, foods are rated from 0.5 to 5 stars.
- On the front of the pack, the product name will be followed by the INR.
- According to some experts, this might not be sufficient, and they favor visual warnings like those found in Singapore and Chile.
The implementation schedule consists of:
- The Expert Committee of the FSSAI has three months to submit its final recommendations.
- It will be examined by the Scientific Committee.
Final Regulations Will Go Into Effect on July 1, 2025
The final regulations, if approved by the Food Authority, will go into effect on July 1, 2025.
In order to track compliance, the Court will reexamine the case in three months.
This move builds on:
- Regulations of 2020 for Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display).
- More stringent labeling regulations were added in July 2024.
- early in 2025, a draft regulation that requested public input.
Strong public concern about food safety is demonstrated by the more than 14,000 public comments that the FSSAI received on the draft standards.
Consumers should be aware of exactly what they are consuming, said Justice J.B. Pardiwala, who presided over the case. He gave examples of well-known snacks like “Kurkure and Maggi.”
According to specialists, non-communicable illnesses account for more than 60% of fatalities in India and are linked to a poor diet and intake of processed foods.
