New Delhi: Packaged foods should carry simple, “at-a-glance” nutrition information on the front of the pack to help consumers quickly understand their nutritional quality, a parliamentary standing committee has recommended, urging India’s top food regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), to notify Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling (FOPNL) regulations after almost four years of delay.
In a report tabled in Parliament Thursday, the Standing Committee on Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution recommended clearly visible interpretative labels, including colour-coded indicators to denote high, medium and low sugar levels or warning labels for products high in sugar.
The recommendation comes after years of debate over how nutrition information should be displayed on packaged foods.
FSSAI first began work on front-of-pack nutrition labelling more than a decade ago. An earlier proposal was dropped before the regulator notified a fresh draft in 2022. Since then, the rules have remained pending amid differences between sections of the food industry and public health experts over whether food packs should carry an overall nutrition rating or warning labels highlighting foods high in sugar, salt or fat.
The issue is also before the Supreme Court. In March this year, FSSAI told the court it needed more time to work on the format of front-of-pack labels for foods high in fat, sugar and salt, saying further consultations and scientific review were needed before finalising the framework.
The committee, chaired by DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, said it was “dismayed” that the draft Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling (FOPNL) regulations, notified on 13 September, 2022, are still under examination despite receiving more than 14,000 stakeholder comments.
“The absence of simple interpretative tools such as warning labels or colour-coded indicators limits the effectiveness of such disclosures in guiding consumer behaviour,” it noted.
It said clear, prominent front-of-pack warnings, particularly on products high in sugar, could help consumers make informed choices by providing simple, easy-to-understand information at the point of purchase.
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‘At-a-glance’ info
Currently, the labelling system in India relies on numerical information, such as grams of sugar and the percentage of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), which many consumers may find difficult to interpret while shopping.
The committee said front-of-pack labels should provide “at-a-glance” information to help consumers quickly understand a product’s nutritional profile and make informed choices.
According to the panel, the continued delay has deprived consumers of easy-to-understand information, particularly on sugar content, at a time when packaged and ultra-processed foods are becoming more common.
The Economic Survey this year had also flagged the growing intake of ultra-processed foods as a major public health concern, linking it to the rising burden of obesity and non-communicable diseases, and had called for stronger consumer awareness and regulatory measures.
Infant foods under scrutiny
Another major focus of the report is sugar content in infant foods.
Citing studies by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the World Health Organization (WHO), the committee said excessive sugar consumption during infancy increases the risk of dental decay, obesity and metabolic disorders later in life.
The committee strongly recommended making front-of-pack sugar labels mandatory, based on scientifically determined sugar limits. It recommended tighter limits on the amount of sugar allowed in infant formula and other foods meant for babies.
The panel also said foods marketed for infants and young children should prominently display the amount of added sugar per serving on the front of the pack, along with its contribution to a child’s daily energy requirement, so parents can make informed decisions.
The committee’s review follows concerns raised last year over the sugar content of infant cereals sold in India.
E-commerce monitoring, stronger enforcement
The committee further recommended tighter monitoring of packaged foods sold through e-commerce platforms by the Department of Consumer Affairs, FSSAI, state food safety authorities and the Central Consumer Protection Authority.
It asked FSSAI to require independent scientific validation for health claims such as “no added sugar” and “natural sweetener”, and to publish a list of accredited institutions authorised to certify such claims.
The panel has also recommended giving infant foods priority during inspections and sampling, with compliance data reported separately in FSSAI’s annual reports.
It also called for wider public awareness campaigns on recommended sugar intake and periodic reviews of permissible sugar limits in infant foods.
According to government data cited in the report, FSSAI carried out more than four lakh inspections across the country in 2024-25, but only around 1,100 covered infant food manufacturing units.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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