Red hexagon on your snack pack: What FSSAI’s new proposed warning label means
The FSSAI has proposed a red hexagonal warning label for packaged foods high in sugar, salt, or saturated fat to help consumers identify unhealthy products. The policy is being rolled out in phases, though critics argue the initial criteria for the label are too lenient.
Why it matters
This regulatory change aims to combat rising lifestyle diseases in India by improving transparency in food labeling and consumer awareness.
The story so far: India’s food regulator has proposed a red, hexagonal warning label on the front of packaged foods high in added sugar, saturated fat or salt, in a move aimed at giving consumers a simple, at-a-glance signal about unhealthy products.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court on August 28, has proposed that the warning initially apply to products high in two or more of the three “nutrients of concern” — added sugar, added saturated fat and salt — as well as specified highly sweetened beverages.
The proposal comes after years of debate over front-of-pack labelling and intervention by the Supreme Court. The Court is scheduled to consider the affidavit on September 10.
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