Buying your favorite packaged snacks in India may soon look very different. India top food safety regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has proposed placing bold red warning labels on the front of packaged foods that contain high levels of added sugar, salt, and saturated fat.
Following strong observations from the Supreme Court regarding public health and childhood obesity, the FSSAI submitted this new proposal to the court. Under the proposed system, foods exceeding safe healthy limits will carry a red hexagonal label similar to a stop sign clearly reading "HIGH SUGAR", "HIGH SALT" or "HIGH FAT" in bold, easy to read letters right on the front of the pack.
The regulatory body plans to roll out this system in two main phases. In the first phase, red warning labels will apply to products containing high amounts of two or more targeted ingredients, along with highly sweetened drinks. In the second phase, the warning rule will expand to cover items that exceed the limit for even a single ingredient.
Basic single ingredient household staples like plain oil, ghee, sugar, salt, and honey will be kept exempt from these front of pack warnings. This major policy shift aims to make shopping much simpler for everyday consumers, helping families instantly identify unhealthy junk foods and make safer choices for their health.
