NEW DELHI: Indian health activists have challenged a government proposal for food warning labels in the Supreme Court, arguing that the planned system could allow unhealthy products to escape red warnings.
Nonprofit group 3S And Our Health filed the first formal court objection to the proposal, calling its design an “industry-friendly loophole” that could undermine public health.
Under the proposed rules, packaged food would carry a red hexagonal warning only when it exceeds limits for at least two of three nutrients: added sugar, salt or saturated fat.
Food Rules Criticised
The activists argue that requiring two thresholds to be breached could leave products high in just one harmful nutrient without a warning.
“A product that is high in sugar alone remains a diabetes risk,” lawyer Rajiv Shankar Dvivedi said in the filing, which is expected to be heard on September 10.
The dispute comes as India considers tighter labelling rules for its packaged food and beverage industry, valued at more than $100 billion.
Industry groups have also criticised the proposal from the opposite direction, warning that a substantial majority of packaged products could receive red labels and potentially face weaker consumer demand.
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A government source said the activists’ concerns were unfounded because the system would be introduced in phases. In a second phase, authorities plan to require warnings for each concerning nutrient, although no timeline has been announced.
Health campaigners point to international evidence supporting prominent warnings. Researchers found purchases of sugary drinks in Chile fell 23.7% after its 2016 labelling law introduced separate warnings for high nutrients.
The debate comes amid growing concern about obesity in India. A Lancet study estimated 180 million Indian adults were overweight or obese in 2021, with the figure projected to reach 450 million by 2050.
