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Industry hails coffee-chicory FoP labelling time-line extension
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Thursday, 30 July, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Mumbai
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The recent extension of the implementation deadline for revised front-of-pack (FoP) labelling requirements for Coffee-Chicory mixtures by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will help the industry make the necessary packaging changes in a structured way, opine some of the industry experts.
Welcoming the move, S. Srudheep, Managing Director, Sri. Narasu's Coffee Pvt. Ltd., said the extended timeline would enable manufacturers to implement packaging changes in a planned and responsible manner.
"The additional time will help the industry make the necessary packaging changes in a structured way. At Sri. Narasu's Coffee, we have always prioritised transparent product information. Several of our products, including Insta Strong Coffee, already display the exact blend ratio on the pack, and all our chicory blends remain well within FSSAI's prescribed maximum limit of 49% chicory. We remain committed to complying with the revised regulations and supporting measures that improve consumer transparency and informed decision-making," he said.
Commenting on the regulatory development, Rishi Agrawal, CEO and Co-founder, Teamlease Regtech, said the extension should not be viewed as a relaxation of compliance requirements.
"The extension should not be mistaken for a free pass. FSSAI isn't softening its stance; it's recognising the operational realities involved in implementing regulatory changes. A single label revision affects artwork approvals, production schedules, vendor coordination and supply chains. By granting additional time, the regulator is enabling businesses to transition smoothly without compromising the objective of consumer transparency. Companies should use this period to strengthen compliance systems rather than treating it as a last-minute packaging exercise. As India's regulatory landscape becomes more enforcement-focused, organisations that institutionalise compliance will be better positioned for long-term success," he said.
The FSSAI has extended the implementation deadline for revised front-of-pack (FoP) labelling requirements for Coffee-Chicory mixtures to July 1, 2027, while introducing simplified declaration norms to address practical packaging challenges faced by the industry. The latest order comes in response to concerns raised by food business operators following the notification issued on August 8, 2025, which mandated a specific boxed declaration on the front of Coffee-Chicory mixture packs with an original compliance deadline of July 1, 2026.
According to FSSAI, several industry associations highlighted the difficulty of accommodating the prescribed boxed declaration on smaller packs, particularly those with a Principal Display Panel (PDP) area of less than 100 cm².
Taking these concerns into account, the food regulator has decided to keep the earlier notification in abeyance while the proposed amendment is processed. As an interim measure, manufacturers will be permitted to adopt a simplified text-based front-of-pack declaration.
Under the revised guidelines, manufacturers of Coffee-Chicory Mixtures and Instant Coffee-Chicory Mixtures must clearly display the percentage composition of coffee and chicory on the front of the package in the format: "COFFEE...%, CHICORY...%".
FSSAI has also specified the minimum font size for these declarations. Packs with a PDP area of up to 100 cm² must carry the declaration in a minimum 1 mm font height, while packs with a PDP area exceeding 100 cm² must use a minimum 2 mm font height.
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