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Selling healthy packaged foods in India - Ethics and more
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Wednesday, 04 March, 2026, 12 : 00 PM [IST]
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Dr Bijal Lalan
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The global prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly diabetes mellitus and hypertension, has increased significantly in recent years. In response, consumers are becoming more health-conscious and are exploring innovative and diversified food products perceived as healthy, including snack options such as protein puffs, veggie straws, and super mix berries. However, despite their health-oriented marketing and positioning, many of these products contain high levels of sodium, saturated fats, and added sugars. This raises important concerns regarding their actual nutritional quality and their potential contribution to the risk of diet-related chronic diseases.
Consumers generally perceive health information presented on food labels as accurate and backed up with scientific evidence. Food labelling typically provides detailed nutritional information, specifying the quantity of individual nutrients in the product. The disclosure of such information has expanded in recent years, driven by legislative requirements and increasing consumer interest in nutrition (Soni & Kaur, 2023).
Manufacturers and marketers strategically use nutritional information to emphasise the presence or absence of specific nutrients and to enhance brand positioning. This practice is commonly referred to as nutrition marketing, which includes techniques such as health claims, structure/function claims, and nutrient content claims. Colby et al. (2010) reported that nutrition marketing appeared on 49% of examined products. They included health claims (8.6%), nutrient content claims (75.7%), statements of fact (67.1%), and structure/function claims (5.8%).
Consumers often perceive these claims as providing adequate and credible information to guide purchasing decisions. However, evidence suggests that this perception may not always be justified. Kaur et al. (2016) found that products carrying health claims related to disease risk reduction or specific nutrient functions tended to contain lower levels of fat and sugar, but relatively high levels of sodium. This indicates selective nutritional improvements; such products may be only marginally healthier than other less healthy options available in the market.
Nutrient content claims on food labels are employed to communicate information regarding both mandatory and voluntarily disclosed nutrients. In accordance with regulations established by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, the declaration of energy, protein, total carbohydrates, total sugars, added sugars, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat/cholesterol, and sodium is compulsory on packaged food products. In addition to these mandatory declarations, manufacturers may voluntarily provide information on other nutrients and related components.
Such voluntary nutrient content claims include statements such as ‘source of dietary fibre’, ‘high/rich in dietary fibre’, ‘source of vitamins and minerals’, and ‘contains specific nutrients’, which are intended to highlight the presence or enhanced levels of particular nutrients in the product (Soni & Kaur, 2023).
Several studies have reported that the presence of nutrition and health claims on foods high in fat, sugar, and salt may mislead consumers. Such claims can create a ‘health halo’ effect, whereby consumers perceive these products as healthier than they objectively are. As a consequence, individuals may substitute these products for regular meals, potentially resulting in energy and nutrient imbalances.
This misperception may also stem from limited consumer understanding of the overall nutritional composition of food products, leading them to rely disproportionately on front-of-pack claims when making purchasing decisions. Therefore, it is essential that claims be clearly defined and strictly regulated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to ensure their appropriate and responsible use by food manufacturers and marketers.
Food regulatory authorities such as the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India can develop and implement strategic measures to address ethical concerns associated with the marketing of packaged food products. These strategies may include the following:
- Development and marketing of safer products: Food manufacturers should prioritise the production and promotion of products containing lower levels of sodium, total fat, and calories. This may involve reformulation initiatives and the expansion of healthier product portfolios.
- Support for public health nutrition initiatives: Consumers often have limited nutritional literacy, companies with expertise in communication and persuasion should collaborate with government and regulatory bodies to disseminate evidence-based information. Educational efforts should emphasise the health benefits of balanced diets rich in proteins, unsaturated fats, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, thereby promoting informed dietary choices.
- Adherence to ethical standards and regulatory compliance: Food marketers must strictly comply with applicable laws, regulations, and ethical principles. Marketing communications should be accurate, transparent, and non-deceptive, and products should be appropriate for their intended use.
- Restriction or withdrawal of harmful products: Products demonstrated to pose health risks should be subject to regulatory restrictions or removal from the market. Additionally, such products should not be advertised or promoted, in order to prevent misuse and minimise public health harm.
- Protection of vulnerable populations, particularly children: Special consideration should be given to the marketing of food products directed at children. Marketing messages should not misrepresent emotional, social, or health benefits, nor exploit children’s limited capacity to critically evaluate advertising claims.
- Implementation of responsible marketing strategies: Ethical marketing practices should include offering reasonable portion sizes to discourage overeating and reformulating products to reduce calories, sodium, refined sugars, and saturated fats. Greater emphasis should be placed on enhancing the nutritional quality of foods by incorporating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy components. Furthermore, the promotion of nutritionally poor food products, especially through television channels or media platforms with substantial child viewership should be discouraged, while healthier options should be presented in a positive and appealing manner (G.R. Jayadevan, 2012).
(The author is assistant professor, Post Graduate Department of Food Science and Nutrition, SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai)
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