FSSAI’s Proposed Food Warning Labels Face Opposition from Health Experts and Industry Giants

The Indian government is facing widespread opposition regarding proposed front-of-pack food warning labels. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) proposed a red-coloured hexagonal label for packaged food and drinks that exceed limits in at least two of three specific nutrients: added sugar, salt, or saturated fat.

This development impacts India’s packaged food industry, valued at over $100 billion, which has historically opposed front-of-pack warning labels. The proposal follows public debate after reports indicated the government previously yielded to industry lobbying involving companies such as Coca-Cola, Nestle, and PepsiCo.

Global health safety experts have raised concerns over the proposed two-nutrient threshold, noting that products high in only one of the flagged nutrients will escape scrutiny. Barry Popkin, a professor at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, stated that no other country uses a double-nutrient approach and that warning labels typically apply to each key nutrient individually.

The Supreme Court of India has called for the implementation of warning labels while hearing pleas from activists. Health groups, including 3S And Our Health, have prepared draft submissions for an upcoming Supreme Court hearing scheduled for September 10, pointing to loopholes such as exemptions for honey, jaggery, and the two-nutrient threshold itself.

Under the current guidelines, certain products like a Kellogg’s multigrain Chocos box containing 27% added sugar by weight could potentially escape warnings if fat and salt remain within permitted limits. Representatives for Mars, owner of Kellogg’s, stated the company supports science-based nutrition information and will comply with changing laws, while noting that regional tastes and ingredient requirements vary. Unilever’s India unit also expressed commitment to compliance, whereas Nestle, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, and Mondelez did not respond to queries.

Meanwhile, the packaged food industry is preparing further pushback. Industry executives have raised concerns regarding the proposed 100-gram benchmark to determine if a product needs a warning label, arguing that items like pickles or ketchup are not consumed in 100-gram quantities per serving. Executives plan to urge the FSSAI to adopt per-serve calculations instead.

Companies are also concerned about the strictness of the proposed thresholds, which mandate a red warning if added sugar exceeds 3% of solid products by weight and fat exceeds 4.2%. Representatives from the Federation of Sweets and Namkeen Manufacturers stated that traditional sweets and namkeen products could attract warnings, potentially impacting consumer perception and demand.

"The debate surrounding FSSAI's proposed warning labels highlights the delicate balance regulatory bodies must maintain between public health and commercial interests. For the packaged food and FMCG sector, regulatory shifts of this scale require businesses to proactively re-evaluate product formulations, serving sizes, and packaging compliance. As consumer awareness around health and nutrition grows, traditional and global brands alike must adapt their product strategies to meet stricter transparency standards without eroding consumer trust." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes