Key facts
- Indian activists have filed a formal court objection to a government proposal for food warning labels.
- The proposal requires a red hexagonal label if a food exceeds limits in at least two of three concerning nutrients: added sugar, salt, or saturated fat.
- Activists argue the current proposal creates an "industry-friendly loophole" that exempts many harmful products.
- The complaint was submitted to the Supreme Court by the nonprofit group 3S And Our Health.
- A government source indicated that stricter rules for warning labels are planned for a second phase.
Indian health activists have formally lodged concerns in the Supreme Court regarding a government proposal for food warning labels, arguing it is too lenient and creates an "industry-friendly loophole." The nonprofit group 3S And Our Health submitted the complaint, stating that the current proposal, which requires a red hexagonal label only when a product is high in at least two of three concerning nutrients (added sugar, salt, or saturated fat), would exempt many harmful products.
Rajiv Shankar Dvivedi, a lawyer for the group, emphasized that a product high in sugar alone still poses a diabetes risk. This marks the first formal court objection to the plan, which has already drawn criticism from activists who believe it is too lenient, despite the packaged food industry's long-standing opposition to such measures.
Globally, food warning labels have been shown to benefit public health, with Chile's 2016 law leading to a significant decline in sugary drink purchases. However, an Indian government source defended the phased approach, stating that stricter rules for individual nutrients would be implemented in a second phase. No timeline for these phases has been set, and the government awaits the Supreme Court's input.
The proposal comes amid rising rates of overweight and obesity in India, with projections indicating a substantial increase by 2050. Industry groups have also expressed concerns, fearing that a majority of packaged products could attract warning labels, impacting demand.