SC warns Centre, FSSAI on front-of-pack food warning labels

The Supreme Court on Thursday gave the Union government and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) two weeks to decide on introducing front-of-pack warning labels for packaged foods high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat, warning that it will pass its own directions if the government fails to act. A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran said it was acting in the public interest, particularly for the health of growing children, and questioned whether the government was succumbing to pressure from corporate houses.

Additional Solicitor General Brijender Chahar argued that strict labels could force traditional Indian foods like namkeen to carry red warnings, and that international standards may not suit Indian diets. The bench rejected this, asking whether the government did not want Indians to stay healthy. The court noted that front-of-pack warnings would simply inform consumers before purchase, and that manufacturers' commercial interests cannot override public health. The matter was last heard on February 10, and the court said this was the government's "last chance" to act.