Supreme Court Warns Centre Over Front-of-Pack Food Labels
· India · Hindustan Times, LiveMint, Times of India
The Supreme Court has issued a final warning to the Central government and the FSSAI to implement front-of-pack nutritional warning labels on packaged foods. A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran questioned the government's reluctance to adopt these labels, suggesting that corporate pressure may be influencing the delay. The Centre argued that strict warnings could unfairly label traditional Indian foods like namkeen due to their fat or salt content. The Court rejected this argument, stating that the primary goal is to protect public health, especially for children, by ensuring consumers are informed about nutritional risks before purchase. The government has been directed to explain the steps taken so far to address the issue.
Why it matters
The implementation of mandatory warning labels would force food manufacturers to clearly display health risks, potentially altering consumer purchasing habits across India.
Read the original report — Hindustan Times
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