India’s food regulator plans clearer front-of-pack warnings for packaged foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fat.
What Will the New Labels Show?
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed a single-phase framework requiring prominent warnings on packaged food products containing high levels of sugar, salt and saturated fat.
Under the proposal, qualifying products would carry warnings displayed inside a distinctive red hexagon against a white background. The format is intended to make nutritional concerns immediately visible to consumers when they examine packaged foods.
Products containing non-caloric sweeteners would face an additional mandatory declaration stating: “CONTAINS NON-CALORIC SWEETENER.”
The proposed system represents an attempt to make nutritional information more visible at the point of purchase, particularly for consumers assessing products with high levels of ingredients associated with dietary concerns.
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Why Is FSSAI Moving Now?
The proposed changes follow scrutiny from the Supreme Court over delays in introducing transparent labelling practices. FSSAI has now been asked to finalise the draft regulations within four months. Once the draft is prepared, members of the public and other stakeholders are expected to be invited to provide their views before the framework is finalised.
The regulator has also proposed a voluntary implementation period of 365 days. The transition is intended to give manufacturers time to adjust their inventories and limit financial losses arising from existing packaging materials. If implemented, the system would make warning information considerably more prominent than conventional nutritional declarations, placing key dietary information directly on the front of packaged products.
What Other Action Is FSSAI Taking?
The labelling proposal comes as FSSAI steps up enforcement against the e-commerce sector. The regulator has initiated penal proceedings against five major platforms over alleged violations.
The companies named are Amazon, Swiggy Instamart, BigBasket, Flipkart and Zepto. The cited concerns include misbranding, dissemination of misleading product claims and the unauthorised display or sale of prohibited food items. The regulatory action is not confined to online platforms. Manufacturers are also facing scrutiny over compliance with food regulations.
FSSAI recently initiated legal proceedings against Nestlé India, alleging that a sample of its follow-up formula was substandard because of insufficient biotin levels. Other infant nutrition products were also described as being marketed in violation of existing regulations. Nestlé India has said its products fully comply with existing laws and that it will continue to cooperate with authorities.
What Could Change for Consumers?
The proposed front-of-pack framework could give shoppers a more direct way to identify packaged foods containing high levels of sugar, salt or saturated fat without relying solely on detailed nutritional panels.
The red-hexagon warnings would place the relevant nutritional concern prominently on the package, while products using non-caloric sweeteners would carry a separate declaration. The broader regulatory action also signals increased scrutiny of how food products are labelled, advertised and sold, including through major online platforms.
The final shape of the rules will depend on the regulatory process, including completion of the draft and stakeholder consultation. If implemented as proposed, the framework would establish a more visible warning system for packaged food products and change how certain nutritional information is presented to Indian consumers.
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