India considers strict 50-metre junk food ban around schools to combat rising childhood obesity

India is exploring measures to restrict sale of high-fat, salt, and sugar foods within 50 metres of schools, aiming to curb childhood obesity trends and reduce the influence of global snack brands, as Maharashtra takes a pioneering step with an existing ban.

India is preparing a new curb on junk food sales around schools as part of a broader push to address rising obesity, particularly among children. The draft rule would bar the sale of foods high in fat, salt and sugar within 50 metres of school premises, bringing roadside stalls, family-run shops, restaurants and snack counters into the frame. It would apply near a vast network of about 1.5 million schools, and could affect products ranging from fizzy drinks and crisps to samosas, burgers and pizzas.

The proposal sits within a wider regulatory drive by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, which has been tightening its focus on foods that are often labelled HFSS, short for high in fat, salt and sugar. In August, the authority published proposed thresholds that would trigger restrictions on sales near and inside schools and opened the draft for public comment until October 6. The move is designed to reach children early, before habits become entrenched, and follows years of concern over the spread of ultra-processed snacks and drinks in Indian diets.

The issue has become more urgent as obesity rises. Data from the World Obesity Federation show the number of Indian children aged five to 19 who are overweight or obese climbed from 28 million in 2015 to 41 million by 2025, and is projected to reach 56 million by 2040. Researchers and health advocates say the trend reflects changing diets, stronger marketing and the growing appeal of low-cost packaged food, including many global brands that are now household names across the country.

For multinationals including PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Mondelez and Nestlé, the proposed school-zone restrictions would add another layer of pressure. Several of those companies already face the prospect of front-of-pack warning labels on products considered high in fat, salt or sugar, a policy direction that would move India closer to rules already seen in countries such as Chile and Mexico. In practice, the new school perimeter rule could also force smaller retailers to rethink what they stock, especially where schools sit in dense urban markets.

The reaction from businesses has been wary. Shopkeepers near schools in Bhubaneswar told Reuters they feared sales could fall sharply, with some estimating a drop of a third or more. The Confederation of Indian Food Trade and Industry has also raised concerns in a confidential draft submission reviewed by Reuters, arguing that restrictions would be difficult to enforce in crowded commercial areas where school routes overlap with neighbourhood shopping streets. The trade body said the rules should apply only inside schools, warning of possible losses to livelihoods.

At the same time, Maharashtra has already gone further than the federal proposal. The state’s food and drug administration has banned the sale, advertisement and free distribution of HFSS products within 50 metres of school premises, and has made food licences compulsory for school canteens. State commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has defended the stricter approach, saying enforcement is easier if shops close to schools are not allowed to stock such items at all. Public-health evidence from Chile, where similar restrictions helped reduce excess weight among schoolchildren and pushed manufacturers to reformulate recipes, is likely to strengthen the case for tougher action in India.