The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) proposes mandatory red, front-of-pack warning labels for packaged foods that are high in fat, sugar and/or salt. The plan is set out in an affidavit FSSAI files in connection with a Supreme Court matter on how excessive intake of these nutrients is linked to health risks including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.
Under the proposal, warning labels would appear as red hexagons on the front of food packs. The label text would indicate the nutrient(s) of concern, such as “HIGH FAT”, “HIGH SUGAR” or “HIGH SALT”, and could include a “HIGHLY SWEETENED BEVERAGE” category. FSSAI says the warning should use a font larger than the one in the nutrition information table on the back of packs, and that the classification would follow thresholds from the “Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024” issued by ICMR-NIN.
Outlets also report that FSSAI recommends implementing the system in phases. In the first phase, products high in two or more specified nutrients would carry warnings, with the second phase extending requirements to products high in any one of these nutrients. Some single-ingredient or inherently rich products (such as ghee, edible oil, salt, sugar, jaggery and honey) are proposed for possible exemptions. A separate expert view published by The Hindu raises concerns that key technical details—such as definitions, timelines, exemptions, label size, and rules on “added” nutrients—could affect how effectively unhealthy foods are captured by the system.
