India’s 40-crore ‘missing middle’: caught between weak public healthcare and costly private care

India's proposed food warning labels have sparked controversy from both health advocates and industry leaders. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has suggested a red hexagonal label for products exceeding limits in at least two of three nutrients - added sugar, salt, or saturated fat. However, activists argue many items will avoid scrutiny, while companies warn the strict criteria will label a broad range of products.

The proposal comes amid public outcry after Reuters reported India had given in to industry lobbying in March, preventing warning labels on food and drink packaging. Global health experts express concern over the two-nutrient threshold, as it would allow products high in just one flagged nutrient to escape scrutiny. Unlike other countries that use separate labels for each key nutrient, India's method is deemed ineffective.

Critics also point out the proposal's exemption for inherently sweet or fatty foods, as well as the 100-gram benchmark, which is far higher than what most consumers consume in a single serving. Food industry representatives, including Mars, Unilever, and Nestle, have pledged compliance but express concern over the proposed thresholds and per serve calculations. The Federation of Sweets and Namkeen Manufacturers warns that the labels could negatively impact consumer demand for traditional sweet and salty snacks.