India’s food regulator proposes integrating warning label literacy into school curricula as part of a broader effort to combat unhealthy eating habits among children, following court pressure for swifter reform.
India’s food regulator wants schoolchildren to be taught how to read warning labels on packaged food, in a move that would bring front-of-pack nutrition warnings into the classroom as part of a broader public health push. In a written submission to the Supreme Court, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India said it had asked the education ministry to consider adding front-of-pack labelling, or FOPNL, to school curricula so children can learn to recognise the meaning of warning symbols on packaged products.
The proposal follows sharp criticism from the Supreme Court over the pace of reform, with judges questioning why action on a matter affecting public health was taking so long. According to reports by LiveMint and The Indian Express, the court pressed FSSAI to move faster on front-of-pack warnings for foods high in sugar, salt and fat, especially because children are among the main consumers of packaged snacks and drinks. FSSAI has now told the court that it has moved ahead with a written submission and is aiming for a single-phase rollout.
The regulator said the full regulatory process could take about four months, including drafting the rules, securing internal and ministerial approval, meeting the World Trade Organisation’s notification requirements and completing scrutiny by the law ministry. Manufacturers would then be given a transition period of 365 days from notification to adjust their packaging and comply with the new rules. Coverage in Mint and legal commentary on the case indicate that the court has also sought more detail on thresholds, phasing and the practical design of the labels.
Under the plan, warning symbols would appear prominently on the front of packages, with a red hexagon proposed as the main visual marker. FSSAI has also proposed that the warning font be at least one point larger than the nutrition information printed on the back of the pack, and that related nutrient information be grouped in one place. The labels are expected to focus on products that exceed limits for sugar, salt and fat, reflecting international front-of-pack labelling models that place the greatest emphasis on those nutrients.
The submission also deals separately with sweetened and caffeinated drinks, which FSSAI says should carry clearer warnings to discourage overconsumption. In one example cited by the regulator, a 250ml caffeinated drink with 25 grams of sugar could use up an adult’s daily allowance of added sugar in a single can, while two cans would double that amount. The proposal also calls for a clear front-of-pack notice when a product contains non-calorie sweeteners, rather than leaving that information on the back panel.
FSSAI has further defended the use of food additives, saying their approval process is tightly controlled and reviewed through international scientific bodies such as FAO/WHO JECFA, alongside other risk assessment systems. The regulator said additives listed under Indian food safety rules are aligned with Codex standards, a reference to global food standards that guide many national regulations. It also noted that current ICMR-NIN guidance does not set out a specific rule for warning labels based only on total sugar or total fat, and that the distinction between naturally occurring sugar and sugar added during processing needs to be considered carefully.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
