|
|
|
You can get e-magazine links on WhatsApp. Click here
|
|
|
|
|
|
FSSAI to reconsider and withdraw draft on warning labels following stern rap by SC
|
|
Thursday, 19 February, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
|
|
Ashwani Maindola, New Delhi
|
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is set to reconsider and potentially withdraw its previous draft regulations for Front-of-the-Pack Labelling (FOPL). This decision follows a stern "rap" from the Supreme Court, which criticised the agency for years of bureaucratic delay.
A Supreme Court bench expressed sharp dissatisfaction with a compliance affidavit filed by the FSSAI earlier in February. The court noted that despite a series of discussions, the regulator had failed to produce concrete results. In a pointed observation, the bench emphasised that the 'Right to Health' must supersede the commercial interests of multinational corporations.
The FSSAI's previous 2022 draft favoured the Indian Nutrition Rating (INR), a voluntary star-based system. However, health advocates and the court have questioned its effectiveness, suggesting that industry lobbying favoured 'stars' to mask high levels of sugar and salt.
Under the court's direction, the FSSAI is now re-evaluating the 'Mandatory Warning Labels' and may shift toward bold, front-facing warnings (like red dots or black octagons) for high-fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS) content.
It is learnt that FSSAI may form a new expert panel to finalise thresholds after the previous committee failed to reach a consensus. The food regulator may also conduct a fresh analysis of thousands of products to set scientific 'warning' benchmarks.
Meanwhile, the FSSAI has been given a four-week deadline to submit a new report on the feasibility of mandatory warning labels before the Supreme Court.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|