Red Warning Labels on Packaged Food? FSSAI Proposes ‘High Sugar’, ‘High Salt’ Tags

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has informed the Supreme Court that it proposes to mandate a prominent red warning label on the front of packaged food products exceeding prescribed thresholds for added saturated fat, added sugar, and salt.

The regulatory submission, filed via a compliance affidavit, recommends a red, hexagonal "stop-sign" graphic declaring specific warnings such as "HIGH FAT," "HIGH SUGAR," or "HIGH SALT" in clear, bold lettering. Under the proposal, specified sweetened beverages will carry a distinct "HIGHLY SWEETENED BEVERAGE" tag. To ensure high visual prominence, the regulator has stated that the warning label text must be displayed in a font at least one point larger than the nutritional details listed on the back of the packet. Nationwide Ban on Analogue Paneer? FSSAI Mulls Nationwide Prohibition As States Act.

A Two-Phase Implementation Plan

The food safety regulator outlined a phased approach to allow food manufacturers time to reformulate products and update packaging.

• Phase I: Mandatory red warning labels will apply to packaged food products containing excessive amounts of two or more of the target nutrients (added saturated fat, added sugar, or salt), along with specified sweetened drinks.

• Phase II: The mandatory requirement will broaden to cover products exceeding the safety threshold for even a single nutrient of concern.

Certain staple single-ingredient foods—including ghee, edible oils, raw sugar, honey, jaggery, and salt—are proposed to be exempt from the front-of-pack warning requirements.

Supreme Court Pressure and Regulatory History

The proposal follows strong judicial intervention by a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran. Hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the NGO 3S and Our Health Society, the court previously expressed dissatisfaction with the regulator's delays in establishing a clear front-of-pack nutrition labelling (FoPNL) mechanism. Why Are Newspapers Unsafe for Food? FSSAI Reveals Health Risks Behind a Common Practice, Orders Immediate Stop.

The apex court noted that clear, interpretive front-of-pack warnings serve as essential "assistive devices" for consumers, highlighting the rapid rise in childhood obesity and diet-related lifestyle diseases across the country. The court reaffirmed that the constitutional right to health under Article 21 obligates the government to take proactive measures to inform consumers of potential health risks.

Earlier iterations of food labelling discussions, including a proposed voluntary "Health Star Rating" system, faced criticism from public health advocates who argued stars could mask high levels of harmful single nutrients behind an overall average score.

Public Health Concerns and Next Steps

While health advocates have broadly welcomed the shift toward explicit red warning symbols, some experts have raised concerns regarding the initial phase. Public health groups point out that restricting Phase I warnings to products high in two or more ingredients could allow items containing extremely high levels of just one nutrient, such as ultra-processed sugary snacks, to temporarily bypass front-of-pack warnings.

The Supreme Court is reviewing the compliance affidavit, and the petitioner has invited public comments before submitting a formal response. A final timeline for draft notification and industry compliance will depend on subsequent court orders and regulatory gazette notifications.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 29, 2026 03:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).