India’s food regulator, FSSAI, proposes a new red hexagon warning system on packaged foods high in sugar, salt or saturated fat, aiming to make nutritional risks more visible and improve consumer awareness amidst ongoing enforcement actions against e-commerce platforms and food brands.
India’s food regulator is moving towards a more forceful front-of-pack labelling regime that would make it harder for shoppers to miss foods high in sugar, salt or saturated fat. According to reports on the proposal, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India wants qualifying products to carry a red hexagon on a white background, a design meant to make warning information stand out immediately on supermarket shelves and in online listings.
The draft framework, as described by NDTV and Moneycontrol, would apply to packaged foods that exceed nutrient thresholds set out in the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition’s 2024 dietary guidance. The warning symbol would identify the specific nutrient of concern, and the text inside it would have to be larger than the lettering used in the nutrition table on the back of the pack, a detail intended to prevent brands from burying the warning in fine print.
FSSAI is also proposing an extra declaration for products that contain non-caloric sweeteners, with the words “CONTAINS NON-CALORIC SWEETENER.” That addition suggests the regulator is widening its focus beyond sugar alone and seeking to give consumers a clearer signal about ingredients that may affect how a product is perceived as a healthier alternative.
The push comes after scrutiny from the Supreme Court over delays in transparent labelling rules. According to the reports, the regulator has been told to finalise a draft within four months, after which the public and other stakeholders would be invited to comment. FSSAI is also said to be considering a 365-day voluntary transition period, which would give manufacturers time to exhaust old packaging stocks and redesign labels without immediate losses.
The labelling plan is unfolding alongside a broader enforcement drive. The New Indian Express reported that FSSAI has started penal proceedings against Amazon, Swiggy Instamart, BigBasket, Flipkart India and Zepto over alleged misbranding, misleading claims and the sale or display of prohibited food items. Livemint reported that the regulator described the action as part of a broader crackdown on e-commerce compliance. In a separate case, FSSAI has also moved against Nestlé India over alleged shortcomings in an infant nutrition product, while the company has said its products comply with the law and that it will continue to work with authorities. Together, the measures point to a regulator under pressure to make food labels clearer and enforcement more visible.
For consumers, the proposed change could matter most at the point of purchase. A front-facing warning is easier to spot than a nutrition panel, especially for parents and caregivers trying to compare heavily processed snacks, drinks and other packaged foods quickly. If adopted in its current form, the new system would not ban these products, but it would make the nutritional risks more obvious and put more responsibility on brands to present those risks plainly.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
