SC pulls up FSSAI, govt over front-of-pack labels

The Supreme Court recently criticised both the Centre and FSSAI for not deciding on implementing front-of-pack warning labels on foods high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat. The court emphasized that the issue is directly related to public health, especially for children and cautioned that further directions will be issued if the government does not act.

The bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran questioned the government's reluctance to adopt stronger nutritional warnings despite earlier directions. They questioned why the government wouldn't want citizens to remain healthy, particularly growing children. Chahar argued that these labels could lead to traditional Indian foods like namkeen carrying red warning symbols due to their fat or salt content.

He also pointed out that international nutritional standards may not be directly applicable to Indian dietary habits, and even two eggs could exceed the permissible daily fat limit. The court rejected the argument that warning labels could hurt manufacturers' businesses, stressing that consumers should still be able to decide whether to buy a product based on the labels.

The court also questioned FSSAI's reluctance to implement the system, emphasizing that commercial interests cannot take precedence over public health. Senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing a manufacturer, sought to intervene, but the bench remarked that manufacturers cannot dictate policy on an issue involving citizens' health.

The court clarified that its concern is not with banning any product, but ensuring informed consumer choice.