India Wanted Red Flags On Sugary Drinks, Chips. Food Giants Pushed Back

In India, a can of Fanta sold in London contains 63 calories, while the same brand in India has three times as much sugar. The artificial dye used in the Indian Fanta requires a small print health warning on the back of the can, while in Europe, it must have a prominent warning. Major consumer companies like Coca-Cola, which manufactures Fanta, have resisted Indian efforts to mandate nutritional warnings on the front of packaged products.

India's food safety regulator recently abandoned a push for colorful warnings on the front of food packaging, stating that such labels do not account for the intensity of Indian cuisine. The Supreme Court is now reviewing this decision following a petition by public health activists. Obesity or overweight issues could affect 450 million Indians by 2050, according to a Lancet study.

Transparency in labeling can lead to healthier eating habits, and around 20 countries have adopted interpretive labels on front of packaged foods. However, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) backed down after a tense meeting with industry executives in March, who argued that warning labels are confusing and ineffective.

Coca-Cola and Nestle have voluntarily used traffic-light-style labels in some European markets, while the company denied commenting on the report. Nearly 80% of products in India's packaged food and beverage market could be high in fat, sugar, and salt, prompting Indian regulators to consider proposals such as color-coded warnings and star ratings.