Supreme Court gives food regulator 2-week notice: Why are food labels still missing?

The Supreme Court recently reminded the country's top food regulator about the ongoing delay in implementing a front-of-pack warning label on food products. This label, featuring a red or black graphic or words like "high in fats, sugars, and salts," aims to help consumers quickly determine if a product is healthy. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been working on this issue for six years, initially proposing a health star rating system similar to energy-efficient appliance labels.

However, health experts argued that a straightforward graphic warning would be more effective in preventing unhealthy consumption. The current lack of consensus on the type of label to use has resulted in no progress, despite a four-year deadline that has already passed. In response to the court's demands, FSSAI is expected to either revise its 2022 draft notification or make minor changes to it.

The regulator will need to decide on a new timeline for mandatory implementation, potentially reducing the timeframe from four years to six months or a year. The effectiveness of different types of front-of-pack labels varies worldwide, with countries like Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and Chile witnessing positive changes in consumption patterns following the implementation of warning labels.