SC slams FSSAI over delay in introducing warning labels on packaged foods
The top court was hearing a PIL of public charitable trust 3S and Our Health Society seeking directions to the Centre, states and Union territories to implement mandatory front-of-package warning labels (FOPL) on packaged foods.
The Supreme Court has criticized the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for the delay in implementing warning labels on packaged foods, questioning the government's commitment to public health. The bench, consisting of Justices J B Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran, was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a public charity trust and an health society.
They emphasized the importance of front-of-package warning labels (FOPL) to raise awareness, particularly among children who are increasingly consuming junk food. The court questioned why the government is not adhering to its own orders, noting the country's growing burden of non-communicable diseases. FOPL would highlight the presence of excessive sugar, salt, and saturated fats in packaged foods, contributing to serious health issues such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers.
The plea highlighted that non-communicable diseases are responsible for over 6 million deaths annually in India, with diabetes affecting nearly one in four Indians.
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