Consumer awareness: Front-of-pack labels can reshape food choices

The Supreme Court last week asked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to “seriously” consider introducing front-of-pack warning labels on packaged foods high in sugar, saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium, observing that such labels could advance public-health goals. The Court has sought a response within four weeks, effectively nudging a regulator that has debated the issue for years without finalising norms. Obesity is rising at an alarming rate and is now a major public-health challenge. The National Family Health Survey (2019-21) has reported that 24 per cent of women and 23 per cent of men are overweight or obese. Excess weight among children under five increased from 2.1 per cent in 2015-16 to 3.4 per cent in 2019-21. The World Obesity Atlas 2024 estimates that more than 33 million Indian children were obese in 2020. This is projected to more than double to 83 million by 2035. Parallel to this, India has become one of the fastest-growing markets for ultra-processed foods (UPFs).

 

The Economic Survey 2025-26 has highlighted that sales of UPFs grew over 150 per cent from 2009 to 2023, which is a major contributor to obesity, diabetes, and other non-communicable diseases. Obesity has nearly doubled during the same period, and the correlation is difficult to ignore. A global body of evidence, including the Lancet series on UPFs, links high consumption of such foods to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory ailments, and even disorders in mental health. The implications are worrying: Rising costs of health care, lost productivity, and a long-term strain on public finances. India’s “National Multi-Sectoral Action Plan for Control of Non-Communicable Diseases” in 2017 had recommended front-of-pack labelling (FOPL) to reduce the consumption of high fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS). Yet, despite years of consultation, FOPL norms remain unsettled. The FSSAI has delayed finalising front-of-pack regulations amid industry pushback and debate over labelling models.

 

Part of the problem lies in regulatory ambiguity. The Central Consumer Protection Authority’s guidelines against misleading advertisements and the Food Safety and Standards Act prohibit exaggerated health claims, but they lack clear nutrient-based thresholds to define what constitutes “misleading” in food marketing. An independent study by LabelBlind Solutions found that nearly one-third of labelling claims across packaged foods were either non-compliant or they lacked adequate regulatory substantiation. Warning labels offer a more direct corrective. Studies show that simple, interpretative warnings such as “High in Sugar” or “High in Salt” are more effective in discouraging unhealthy choices than rating-style systems like “Health Star Ratings”. Countries such as Chile have combined warning labels with marketing restrictions, especially for children, creating an integrated public-health framework.

 

Labelling, however, cannot be a silver bullet. It should be part of a multipronged strategy: A stricter monitoring of misleading claims, possible nutrient-based taxation for HFSS products, and restrictions on children-targeted marketing across digital media. Government initiatives such as POSHAN Abhiyaan (PM Poshan Shakti Nirman), Eat Right India, and nationwide awareness campaigns provide a foundation. In a market flooded with ultra-processed food options and persuasive advertising, the state must at the very least ensure that consumers receive clear warnings about what they are eating.