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New food labels: What your snack won’t be able to hide anymore
In a bid to tackle lifestyle diseases, India will introduce star ratings and warning labels on packaged foods tentatively by this year
From supermarket aisles to kitchen shelves, packaged foods have become a daily staple. But hidden in those colourful wrappers are sugars, salts, and fats driving India’s epidemic of lifestyle diseases. Soon, every packet will carry a star rating and warning signs up front, making sure the risks are no longer tucked away in fine print. In a landmark step to fight lifestyle diseases like obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, India is set to introduce a new food labelling system. By October, packaged foods could carry two key markers: the Indian Nutrition Rating (INR), a star-based score, and Front-of-Pack Nutrition Warning Labels (FOPNL). The move follows a Supreme Court directive, which asked the Centre to finalise food safety norms within three months after a PIL was filed by NGOs 3S and Our Health.
Why Current Labels Don’t Work
Most shoppers only glance at the “manufactured” and “expiry” dates, skipping nutrition details that are crammed in fine print at the back. “Reading nutritional information is difficult for many, especially with low nutrition literacy,” says Dr Poonam Tiwari, member of the National Allied Health Care Nutrition Professional Council.
Her solution? Clearer visuals. “Colour-coded labels, symbols, and regional language information will help consumers quickly spot if a product is high in sugar, fat or sodium.”
What Happens Next
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is now working on the final design. According to Dr SubbaRao M Gavaravarapu, “The process takes three to six months. Draft regulations are prepared, stakeholders consulted, and the proposal moves through scientific panels before the ministry signs off.”
Decoding the Labels
India’s push for Front-of-Pack Labels dates back to 2018. Early attempts at red “high sugar/salt” warnings faced industry resistance. This time, the labels are expected to be simpler and more consumer-friendly.
Globally, there are two approaches:
Summary labelling — like India’s proposed INR star rating, already used in Australia and New Zealand.
Warning labels — adopted by Chile, Brazil, and Israel, where stark “high sugar/fat” signs have proven effective in cutting sales of sugary drinks.
Experts warn that stars can be misleading, consumers might think 2.5 stars is still “good enough”. Warning labels, on the other hand, are harder to ignore.
The new label rulebook-
What to expect according to experts:
Indian Nutrition Rating (INR): Foods rated on a star scale (more stars = healthier).
Warning Labels (FOPNL): Front-of-pack alerts if sugar, fat, salt, or trans fats exceed safe limits.
Colour-Coding: Easy red/yellow/green visual cues to flag health risks.
Regional Languages: Information in local languages for wider reach.
How does it affect you?
Makes it easier to spot unhealthy foods at a glance.
Could push brands to reformulate products with less sugar, salt, and fat.
Encourages consumers to make healthier swaps, nudging long-term lifestyle changes.
By when?
Tentatively from October 2025 or maybe later in the year, after FSSAI clears the final design.
Elsewhere in the world
Warning labels in Chile, Brazil and Israel reduced sugary drink sales. The New Label RulebookStar-rating system already used in Australia and New Zealand.
(Inputs by Dr SubbaRao M Gavaravarapu, head of Nutrition Information at ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad)
