Madras High Court refuses to review its order on micro/nano plastics warning labels on bottled water, sugar, and salt

The Madras High Court declined to reconsider its earlier ruling on labeling micro/nano plastics in bottled water, sugar, and salt packaging, on September 28, 2026. A panel of Justices N. Sathish Kumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy dismissed the appeal after concluding that the court had not deemed the water, sugar, or salt unsafe due to plastic packaging.

Rather, the court had merely mandated a warning on the labels to enable informed consumer decisions. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had argued that research on the subject was inconclusive, fearing that such warnings could cause "public panic" and disrupt the supply chain. FSSAI also pointed out that the research evidence was inconclusive, with some studies suggesting potential health impacts from microplastics and nano plastics exposure.

The National Green Tribunal had directed the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to conduct further studies on microplastics after reviewing an article on the topic in The Hindu. However, the ICMR has yet to respond to the FSSAI's requests. The authority claimed that no country had established regulations regarding micro and nano plastics, suggesting that such labeling requirements would be impractical and impose additional burdens on food business operators.

The FSSAI's review plea and a request to condone a 151-day delay in filing the application were scheduled for hearing before the Special Bench on September 7, 2026.