On Monday, the Supreme Court of India questioned the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) about the timeline for implementing front‑of‑package labeling (FoPL) on packaged foods. A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran expressed concern that the proposed schedule would waste time on a matter that directly affects citizens’ health. The court asked why FSSAI wants to delay, noting that the regulator had begun work on the issue in 2022.
FoPL provides a nutritional information graphic on the front of a package to help consumers make informed choices. The FSSAI explained that the 2022 initiative was the Indian Nutrition Rating (INR) star‑rating system, which used a different yardstick. The regulator now proposes a red hexagonal warning label for products high in sugar, fat or salt, displayed against a white square background.
The FSSAI said it would need roughly four months to draft and finalize the regulations. Once published, the draft would be open for 60 days of stakeholder comments through domestic consultation and a WTO platform. After notification, the regulator has offered a 365‑day voluntary implementation period for food business operators.
Earlier, the court had asked the FSSAI to clarify the planned labels for nutrients of concern, including fat, sugar and salt. A public charitable trust, “3S and Our Health Society,” petitioned the apex court for mandatory FoPL across India. In a compliance affidavit, the FSSAI stated that the phased approach is intended to provide a simple, prominent warning to consumers while giving the industry adequate time for reformulation and ensuring consumer acceptability.
