Paying your taxes ? believe that you have a right to honest food, air and water ? 

Wake up, India! It's time to demand our rights as consumers and citizens. Before we start blaming our health issues on genetics, the system, or medication, let’s pause and reflect. Where does most illness begin? Is it in our environment, water, or air? Many of us overlook food as the primary entry point into our bodies which can lead to sickness.

Millions of people—including parents, children, the elderly, and even the sick—are unknowingly consuming food that is not genuinely what it claims to be. From synthetic paneer to genetically modified ingredients — restaurant chains, food delivery platforms, and various food brands are serving items that are not what they seem.

Imagine a family weaning their few-month-old newborn off breast milk, trusting that the paneer they are feeding their child is pure. Now, think of the rising cases of gut issues and hormonal imbalances that most children in India are growing up with today because this is not even the real deal. It is analogue/fake paneer, without any dairy, loaded with refined vegetable oils and starches.

Think of patients traveling across different states to get treatment for chronic diseases and relying on restaurants and food delivery platforms. Now imagine them getting food that is not real, substandard, and adulterated.

As consumers, we’re busy; we don’t have time to investigate the authenticity of every meal or ingredient we are delivered. But we deserve to know the truth. We deserve food we can trust, food that is real. This isn't about asking for luxury; it's about demanding basic honesty for the food we eat.

This is not our only demand. A few months ago, we reached out politely to Zomato and Swiggy requesting them to stop serving hot food in cheap plastic containers. While there was absolute disregard from Swiggy, Zomato responded they would look into this. 

A couple of months have passed and there has been no change. Piping hot food with cheap plastic leaching into it continues to reach doorsteps every hour as you read this. There's enough medical data to show how it is destroying our thyroid, hormonal, and reproductive health and contributing to chronic health issues.

What are our demands?

● We need clear labeling and honest information.
● Whether it's mock/fake/analogue paneer, GMO ingredients, or synthetic foods — brands, restaurants, and food delivery platforms must stop withholding information that can risk our health.
● Start adding exactly what they are serving to their product listings and menus.
● While delivering food, delivery platforms must give consumers a choice between plastic and biodegradable packaging. Does this need an extra charge? Add it. Those who care about their health will pay the difference.
 

India deserves an honest food chain. If restaurants and delivery platforms have the right to sell what they want — we, the people, have a Right to Information, on what we consume. 

If nothing changes, our collective health will continue to be at risk. Young children will continue to develop digestive and hormonal issues because of hidden additives, synthetic ingredients, and poor-quality food. Families who trust food brands and restaurants will continue to be betrayed by a system that chooses profit over honesty.

Demand honesty now and we can protect ourselves, our loved ones, and future generations from this.

Imagine an India where every consumer knows exactly what they’re paying for and has confidence in the quality of what they eat. This is a call for accountability and integrity in our food chain.

India is waking up, and the time for action is now. It’s time to unite and call for food brands,  restaurants, and delivery platforms to be transparent, to be honest. Make profits but not at the cost of India and our health.

Wake up India, sign the petition now. You deserve an honest and transparent food chain.