The front-of-pack label, warning consumers against food items high in fat, sugar, and salt, is soon going to be a reality in India. In conversation with Hindustan Times, CEO Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Rajit Punhani, talks about the implementation process, and how consumer awareness has led to more effective enforcement over the years. Edited excerpts:
FSSAI CEO Rajit Punhani
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The FSSAI has carried out surprise inspections of food businesses, and such action has led to licenses getting suspended. What brought this change?
Essentially, there are two main changes. One, state authorities and consumers have become more active. Second, the issue is getting publicised more. It’s not that raids were not taking place earlier or licenses were not being suspended, but now there is much more awareness. So, a lot of state food safety commissioners are also publicising their actions. And consumer awareness has grown a lot.
Deep Dive
What will the front-of-pack warning labels in India indicate about food products?
The front-of-pack warning labels in India will indicate if food products are high in added saturated fat, sugar, and salt, using a red hexagonal shape to signal concern for consumers.
Why is there a need for front-of-pack labeling in India?
There is a need for front-of-pack labeling in India to help consumers make informed choices, especially given the high prevalence of unhealthy food options and rising obesity rates, particularly among children.
How will the implementation process for front-of-pack labels unfold after the Supreme Court's judgment?
After the Supreme Court's judgment, the FSSAI will draft a notification, provide a 60-day notice period, and then allow companies additional time to adjust their labels, which could take several months.
Powered ByAsk HT
Where does FSSAI stand in terms of front-of-pack labelling. How soon do you see it getting implemented?
The judgement will be coming tomorrow. And then we’ll act on it. I hope we will have these labels quite soon.
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What’s the implementation process?
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What’s the implementation process?
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After the judgement, we’ll take out a draft notification. And then we have to give 60 days notice. Then we’ll have to give some time to the companies to have new labels. It will take a few months.
How do you intend to tackle pushback from the industry?
I don’t think there has been any pushback or pressure. There may have been initially, but now I don’t find any resistance. They will need a little bit of time to change their labels.
One problem is high sugar in baby products by same companies that put less sugar in similar products in western markets. How do you implement stricter rules?
We follow international norms — so, the norms are there. [Manufacturers] put more sugar not only in baby products, but also in beverages, biscuits, chocolates etc (compared to western markets). That’s where these warning symbols will come in handy. Having said that, there are now products available with less sugar, and there’s demand for it. We are nudging companies to put less sugar in all products, and they have assured us they will.
Rhythma Kaul is the national health editor of the Hindustan Times. She has been reporting on public health, medicine, and medical research, with a particular focus on how government decisions and health system reforms shape people’s lives. Rhythma has over 25 years of journalistic experience. She joined Hindustan Times in 2008, and has since covered everything from pandemics and infectious diseases to cutting‑edge medical research and climate‑related health challenges. Her stories routinely track the work of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, department of pharmaceuticals, and key national health programmes, making complex medical science and policy accessible to a wide audience. One of her prominent news breaks has been the 2012 Baby Falak case: A two-year-old brutally battered baby girl was admitted to AIIMS-Delhi with severe head injuries, multiple fractures, human bite marks, and burns. The police investigation revealed this to be a case of multi-state human-trafficking racket. She was profiled by The Wall Street Journal for breaking this story. Rhythma holds a Master’s degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Prior to Hindustan Times, she worked with the India Today Group. Rhythma can be contacted at rhythma.kaul@hindustantimes.com. Her X handle is @RamblingBrook.
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Home/India News/Hope we’ll have front-of-pack labels on food items quite soon: FSSAI CEO Rajit Punhani
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