SUPREME COURT GRANTS MORE TIME TO FSSAI PANEL TO SUBMIT REPORT ON WARNING LABELS FOR PACKAGED FOODS:

On July 15, the Supreme Court extended by three months the time granted to an expert committee under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to submit its recommendations regarding proposed amendments related to Front-of-Package Warning Labels (FOPL) on packaged food products. The Court’s earlier order on April 9 had initially allowed the committee a three-month period to provide its recommendations on the FSSAI’s proposed regulatory changes, which aim to introduce clear nutrition warning labels to inform consumers about the sugar, salt, and fat content in food products.

A bench comprising Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan passed the extension order while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by two organizations, 3S and Our Health Society. The petition emphasized the growing public health crisis caused by lifestyle diseases and called for mandatory interpretive labels on food packaging to alert consumers about high levels of sugars, salt, and saturated fats. According to the petitioners, such labeling would enable individuals to make healthier food choices and could contribute significantly to reducing the rising incidence of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and heart disease.

Granting the extension, the bench clarified that this would be the final opportunity for the committee to fulfill its mandate, warning that failure to comply within the extended period would prompt the Court to take appropriate steps in accordance with the law.

In an affidavit filed before the Court, FSSAI stated that it had taken significant steps toward implementing the Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labeling (FOPNL) requirements. The regulatory body had previously issued a draft amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 on September 13, 2022. This draft was made available for public feedback and drew over 14,000 comments from various stakeholders, including food businesses, consumers, and public health organizations.

To carefully assess this feedback, FSSAI had set up an expert committee on February 17, 2023. The committee held multiple meetings, and during its fifth meeting, it finalized a set of recommendations. These recommendations, along with the final version of the amended draft regulations, are to be submitted to the Scientific Committee for review and approval.

One of the most notable features of the proposed amendment is the introduction of the Indian Nutrition Rating (INR), a simplified star-based labeling system. This system proposes to display a star rating—ranging from 0.5 to 5 stars, on the front of pre-packaged food products. The rating is intended to reflect the overall nutritional value of the product, with a higher star rating indicating a healthier food item. By condensing complex nutritional information into an easily understandable format, the INR aims to assist consumers in making quicker, better-informed decisions while shopping. It also seeks to encourage food manufacturers to improve the nutritional quality of their offerings.

The Supreme Court’s continued involvement in this matter underscores the judicial recognition of the link between public health and regulatory measures. The final outcome of the expert committee’s work could pave the way for transformative changes in food labeling standards in India, potentially aligning the country with global best practices for consumer health protection.