FSSAI's Over Delay in Food Warning Labels Questioned

Gist The Supreme Court of India strongly questioned the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India FSSAI over its proposed two-year timeline to implement Front-of-Pack Warning Labels FoPL on packaged foods. Rejecting the regulator's plea for fresh industry consultations and a one-year voluntary compliance period, the Court emphasised that public health must take precedence over industry convenience. This judicial intervention accelerates the regulatory transition from a generic star-rating system to explicit warning labels for foods high in harmful nutrients. Background The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India FSSAI is the apex statutory body established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 to regulate food safety and standards in India. In 2022 , the FSSAI initiated work on the Indian Nutrition Rating , a star-rating system that evaluated the overall nutritional profile of a food item. Public health advocates have long argued that star ratings are misleading, pushing instead for Front-of-Pack Warning Labels FoPL . FoPL is a regulatory mechanism that places explicit visual warnings on the front of packaged foods when they exceed safe thresholds for specific negative…