Make front-of-pack warning labels mandatory in India
समस्या
Our Right to Know What We Eat
Every consumer in India has the right to clear, honest and easily understandable information about the food they buy and consume.
Today, millions of Indians purchase packaged biscuits, chips, namkeen, instant foods, breakfast cereals, confectionery, beverages and other processed foods every day. However, critical information about excessive levels of sugar, salt/sodium and saturated fat is often buried within detailed nutrition tables that an ordinary consumer may not easily understand while making a purchase.
This must change.
We Call for Clear Warning Labels on the Front of Food Packages
We urge the Government of India and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to make simple, prominent and mandatory Front-of-Pack Warning Labels (FoPL) compulsory for pre-packaged foods that exceed science-based thresholds for:
- High in Sugar
- High in Salt/Sodium
- High in Saturated Fat
The warning should be clearly visible on the front of the package, easy to understand at a glance, and based on scientifically established nutritional thresholds.
Why This Matters
India is facing a growing burden of diet-related health problems. Excessive consumption of foods high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats can contribute to poor dietary patterns and increase the risk of serious non-communicable diseases.
Children are particularly vulnerable.
Colourful packaging, aggressive marketing and celebrity endorsements can make highly processed foods appear harmless or even desirable to children and families. Parents should not have to decode complicated nutrition tables to understand whether a product contains excessive amounts of nutrients of concern.
A simple warning on the front of the package can help consumers make an informed decision before purchasing or consuming the product.
Warning Labels Do Not Ban Food
This petition is not asking for a ban on packaged food.
We are asking for transparency.
A warning label does not prevent a company from selling its product. It simply tells the consumer when a product contains a high level of sugar, salt/sodium or saturated fat.
The final choice should belong to the informed consumer not to the manufacturer.
Put Public Health Before Commercial Interests
Food regulations must be based on independent scientific evidence and public health considerations.
The views of food manufacturers and industry stakeholders may be considered during consultation, but they must not override the fundamental objective of protecting consumers, particularly children.
India needs a food-labelling system that puts public health, transparency and informed consumer choice first.
The Supreme Court Has Highlighted the Urgency
The issue has already reached the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India through a Public Interest Litigation concerning Front-of-Pack Warning Labels for packaged foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fats.
The Supreme Court has emphasised the importance of protecting consumers and children and has questioned delays in taking a final decision on effective warning labels.
The Court's intervention makes one thing clear:
This is not merely a question of food marketing. It is a public health and consumer-rights issue.
What We Demand
We, the undersigned citizens of India, call upon:
The Government of India and FSSAI to:
- Make Front-of-Pack Warning Labels mandatory for packaged foods that are high in sugar, salt/sodium and saturated fat.
- Use transparent, science-based and independently determined thresholds for identifying products that require warnings.
- Ensure that the warning is placed prominently on the front of the package, rather than being hidden in a detailed nutrition table.
- Use simple and unambiguous wording such as “HIGH IN SUGAR”, “HIGH IN SALT/SODIUM” and “HIGH IN SATURATED FAT” so that consumers can understand the information instantly.
- Ensure that the labelling system is designed primarily for consumer understanding and public health, rather than serving as a marketing or promotional rating system.
- Give special consideration to protecting children from misleading marketing and excessive promotion of foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fat.
- Ensure that regulatory decisions are based on the best available scientific evidence and remain free from undue commercial influence.
- Implement the final regulations within a clearly defined and reasonable timeline, without unnecessary delay.
Our Message to Policymakers
India cannot expect consumers to make healthy choices if the most important information is difficult to see or understand.
If a food product is high in sugar, salt or saturated fat, the consumer deserves to know before buying it.
A warning label does not take away consumer choice.
It makes consumer choice meaningful.
We therefore urge the Government of India and FSSAI to act decisively and introduce strong, mandatory, science-based Front-of-Pack Warning Labels without further unnecessary delay.
Sign this petition
Your signature can help make food labelling in India more transparent, honest and consumer-friendly.
Know what is inside the packet.
Protect our children.
Protect India's health.
Demand clear warning labels.
2
समस्या
Our Right to Know What We Eat
Every consumer in India has the right to clear, honest and easily understandable information about the food they buy and consume.
Today, millions of Indians purchase packaged biscuits, chips, namkeen, instant foods, breakfast cereals, confectionery, beverages and other processed foods every day. However, critical information about excessive levels of sugar, salt/sodium and saturated fat is often buried within detailed nutrition tables that an ordinary consumer may not easily understand while making a purchase.
This must change.
We Call for Clear Warning Labels on the Front of Food Packages
We urge the Government of India and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to make simple, prominent and mandatory Front-of-Pack Warning Labels (FoPL) compulsory for pre-packaged foods that exceed science-based thresholds for:
- High in Sugar
- High in Salt/Sodium
- High in Saturated Fat
The warning should be clearly visible on the front of the package, easy to understand at a glance, and based on scientifically established nutritional thresholds.
Why This Matters
India is facing a growing burden of diet-related health problems. Excessive consumption of foods high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats can contribute to poor dietary patterns and increase the risk of serious non-communicable diseases.
Children are particularly vulnerable.
Colourful packaging, aggressive marketing and celebrity endorsements can make highly processed foods appear harmless or even desirable to children and families. Parents should not have to decode complicated nutrition tables to understand whether a product contains excessive amounts of nutrients of concern.
A simple warning on the front of the package can help consumers make an informed decision before purchasing or consuming the product.
Warning Labels Do Not Ban Food
This petition is not asking for a ban on packaged food.
We are asking for transparency.
A warning label does not prevent a company from selling its product. It simply tells the consumer when a product contains a high level of sugar, salt/sodium or saturated fat.
The final choice should belong to the informed consumer not to the manufacturer.
Put Public Health Before Commercial Interests
Food regulations must be based on independent scientific evidence and public health considerations.
The views of food manufacturers and industry stakeholders may be considered during consultation, but they must not override the fundamental objective of protecting consumers, particularly children.
India needs a food-labelling system that puts public health, transparency and informed consumer choice first.
The Supreme Court Has Highlighted the Urgency
The issue has already reached the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India through a Public Interest Litigation concerning Front-of-Pack Warning Labels for packaged foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fats.
The Supreme Court has emphasised the importance of protecting consumers and children and has questioned delays in taking a final decision on effective warning labels.
The Court's intervention makes one thing clear:
This is not merely a question of food marketing. It is a public health and consumer-rights issue.
What We Demand
We, the undersigned citizens of India, call upon:
The Government of India and FSSAI to:
- Make Front-of-Pack Warning Labels mandatory for packaged foods that are high in sugar, salt/sodium and saturated fat.
- Use transparent, science-based and independently determined thresholds for identifying products that require warnings.
- Ensure that the warning is placed prominently on the front of the package, rather than being hidden in a detailed nutrition table.
- Use simple and unambiguous wording such as “HIGH IN SUGAR”, “HIGH IN SALT/SODIUM” and “HIGH IN SATURATED FAT” so that consumers can understand the information instantly.
- Ensure that the labelling system is designed primarily for consumer understanding and public health, rather than serving as a marketing or promotional rating system.
- Give special consideration to protecting children from misleading marketing and excessive promotion of foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fat.
- Ensure that regulatory decisions are based on the best available scientific evidence and remain free from undue commercial influence.
- Implement the final regulations within a clearly defined and reasonable timeline, without unnecessary delay.
Our Message to Policymakers
India cannot expect consumers to make healthy choices if the most important information is difficult to see or understand.
If a food product is high in sugar, salt or saturated fat, the consumer deserves to know before buying it.
A warning label does not take away consumer choice.
It makes consumer choice meaningful.
We therefore urge the Government of India and FSSAI to act decisively and introduce strong, mandatory, science-based Front-of-Pack Warning Labels without further unnecessary delay.
Sign this petition
Your signature can help make food labelling in India more transparent, honest and consumer-friendly.
Know what is inside the packet.
Protect our children.
Protect India's health.
Demand clear warning labels.
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13 अगस्त 2026 पर पेटीशन बनाई गई