SC Presses Food Regulator to Enforce Front-of-Pack Labels to Tackle Rising Obesity

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is likely to introduce front-of-pack nutrition labels on packaged food. In a post on social media platform X, Shiv Sena MP and chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Subordinate Legislation, Milind Deora, said the food regulator has been asked by the Supreme Court to execute front-of-pack labels to empower consumers to make healthier choices. The move also aims to bring down India’s rising obesity crisis. 

“The Supreme Court has directed @fssaiindia to implement simple front-of-pack nutrition labels on packaged food. As Chair of Parliament’s Subordinate Legislation Committee, I’ve recommended studying Singapore’s clear A-to-D Nutri-Grade system,” said Milind Deora on July 15. The move will help the consumers make healthier choices, the Shiv Sena MP added.

The Shiv Sena MP has proposed to introduce Singapore’s clear A-to-D Nutri-Grade system. Singapore’s system is one where a front-of-pack nutrition labelling system for beverages is used to display the sugar and saturated fat content. It uses a colour-coded system, ranging from grade A (healthiest) to grade D (least healthy). Additionally, advertisements for grade D beverages are prohibited across media platforms. 

Deora, on Monday, mentioned that along with Indian snacks like jalebis and samosas, unhealthy foods sold by multinational companies should also be regulated by the Indian government, the ANI reported. 

“As chairman of the Parliament Subordinate Legislation Committee, which has members of parliament from all parties, we are at present examining the very issue. Along with the agency called the FSSAI, which is the food regulator in our country,” Deora reportedly said on Monday. 

Besides this, the Union health ministry has also proposed displaying sugar-and-oil content-related information on boards as a part of its boarder initiative under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) to promote healthier dietary habits. The initiative aims to reduce excessive consumption of oil and sugar to bring down the rising rates of diseases like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and other lifestyle-related disorders.