FSSAI Proposes Red Warning Labels on Packaged Foods High in Sugar, Salt and Fat

India could soon see a major change in the way packaged food products display nutritional warnings.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed prominent red, hexagonal warning labels on the front of packaged foods and beverages that contain high levels of specified nutrients, including added sugar, salt and saturated fat.

The proposal was placed before the Supreme Court through an FSSAI compliance affidavit, following judicial scrutiny over the need for clearer food labelling and better protection of public health.

However, the proposal has not yet become a final regulation, and there is currently no announced implementation date.

What will the red warning look like?

Under the proposed Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling system, a red hexagonal symbol would appear prominently on the front of qualifying food packages.

Depending on the nutritional composition, the warning could state:

• HIGH FAT
• HIGH SUGAR
• HIGH SALT
• HIGHLY SWEETENED BEVERAGE

The objective is to make important nutritional information immediately visible instead of requiring consumers to turn the package around and study detailed nutrition tables.

Two-phase implementation proposed

FSSAI has proposed introducing the warning system in two phases.

During the first phase, products containing high levels of at least two specified nutrients would receive the warning.

In the second phase, the system would be expanded so that products exceeding the threshold for even one nutrient could receive a warning.

The approach is based on nutrient thresholds linked to the Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024, prepared by the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Institute of Nutrition.

Why FSSAI is considering the move

The proposed labels are intended to make potentially unhealthy food choices easier to identify.

Packaged snacks, sweetened beverages and other processed foods can contain significant quantities of sugar, salt and saturated fat. Under the existing system, consumers often have to examine detailed nutritional information before understanding the composition of a product.

FSSAI says a prominent front-of-pack warning would provide a simple and easily understandable signal to consumers.

The proposal also comes amid increasing concern over obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases in India.

Supreme Court scrutiny

The proposal follows pressure from the Supreme Court, which has been examining a petition concerning food labelling and public health.

The court's intervention has brought renewed attention to whether existing nutritional information is sufficiently clear for consumers.

FSSAI's affidavit represents a significant change in the regulator's position after earlier debates over how front-of-pack nutrition information should be presented.

Not every packaged food would automatically carry a warning

The proposal is not designed to place a red warning on every packaged product.

The proposed system uses specific nutritional thresholds to determine which products qualify.

There are also proposed exclusions for certain single-ingredient foods. The exact scope and final regulatory requirements could change before implementation.

This distinction is important because the proposal is still under consideration and has not yet become a final nationwide labelling requirement.

Health experts raise concerns about the first phase

While the proposal has received support from public-health advocates, some experts have questioned the decision to initially require two or more nutrients to cross the threshold.

Their concern is that a product extremely high in one nutrient could potentially avoid a warning during the first phase if it does not simultaneously cross the threshold for another nutrient.

Critics argue that the second phase, covering products high in a single nutrient, would provide a stronger warning system.

Food industry also raises objections

The proposed system is likely to have a significant impact on India's packaged-food industry.

Food manufacturers and industry groups have raised concerns about how the proposed thresholds would classify products and how consumers might interpret the warnings.

The debate therefore involves two competing priorities: making health risks clearer for consumers while ensuring that the regulatory system is scientifically sound and workable for food manufacturers.

What happens next?

The FSSAI proposal still needs to move through the regulatory process before consumers start seeing mandatory red warning symbols on packages.

No final implementation timeline has been announced yet.

The final rules could determine which products receive warnings, the exact thresholds, the size and placement of the red symbols and how quickly the system is introduced.

If implemented, the change could significantly alter how Indians view packaged food on supermarket shelves.

Instead of relying only on small nutritional tables, consumers could have a highly visible warning directly on the front of the package.

For India's food industry, it could mean changes to product formulations, packaging and marketing.

For consumers, the proposed red hexagon could become a quick signal to stop and examine how much sugar, salt or fat a product contains before buying it.

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