The Supreme Court of India has directed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to file a scientifically justified and clearly defined timeline for the second phase of Front-of-Package Labelling (FoPL) on packaged foods. The matter concerns warning labels for products high in fat, sugar, or salt, and the next hearing has been fixed for 28 September.
Front-of-Package Labelling
Front-of-Package Labelling is a food labelling system that places nutrition information on the front of packaged food products. It is used to identify products with high levels of nutrients such as fat, sugar, and salt, which are commonly linked with non-communicable diseases in public health regulation.
FSSAI and Food Labelling Rules
FSSAI is the statutory body established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. It frames food safety standards, regulates packaged food labelling, and issues rules for nutrition disclosure, ingredient lists, and health warnings in India.
FSSAI had proposed a two-phase FoPL plan. Phase I covers products high in at least two specified nutrients and highly sweetened beverages. Phase II is intended to extend the warning system to products high in even one nutrient of concern.
Judicial Questions on Implementation
The Supreme Court questioned the proposal to limit warning labels in the first phase to products high in at least two nutrients of concern. The Court also rejected the packaged food industry’s plea for per-serve measurements and asked why FoPL had not been implemented despite a decade of deliberations.
The bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran sought clarification on whether the warning labels would be mandatory from the outset. The Court also asked for details on the size, dimensions, and prominence of the proposed red hexagonal warning labels.
Important Facts for Exams
- FSSAI is the food regulator of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
- Front-of-Package Labelling is a nutrition labelling method used on packaged foods.
- Red hexagonal warning labels are associated with high fat, sugar, or salt content in food regulation proposals.
- School-based nutritional literacy is part of the broader public health discussion on food choices and child health.
Timeline and Compliance
The Supreme Court has given FSSAI 10 days from its 10 September order to file an affidavit with clarifications. The affidavit must include the rollout timeline, the proposed label design, and the implementation status of the second phase.
