Parliamentary Panel Directs FSSAI to Finalise Nutrition Labels on Food Packs Without Further Delay

A Parliamentary Panel has directed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to finalise the Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling (FOPNL) regulations within a fixed time frame. The directive aims to ensure that consumers can easily understand nutritional information on packaged foods.

The Standing Committee on Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution presented a report in Parliament on the regulation of packaged commodities, with special focus on sugar content in baby products and other food items. The Committee expressed dismay that the draft FOPNL regulations were notified on September 13, 2022, and that over 14,000 stakeholder comments have been received but were still under examination and consultation.

"The Committee observe that over two years have lapsed since the draft notification, and the continued delay in finalising the regulations has resulted in the absence of simplified and interpretative front-of-pack information, particularly in relation to sugar content," the report stated.

With rising consumption of packaged and ultra-processed food, the panel emphasised the need for timely, clear nutritional information to enable informed dietary choices. The current labelling framework relies heavily on numerical details like grams and percentage of recommended dietary allowance, which may not be easily understood by all consumers at the point of purchase.

"The absence of simple interpretative tools such as warning labels or colour-coded indicators limits the effectiveness of such disclosures in guiding consumer behaviour," the report noted.

The committee recommended that FSSAI finalise and notify the FOPNL regulations within a defined time frame. It further suggested that the labels should provide accessible, at-a-glance information to help consumers quickly identify the nutritional status of a product. Specifically, the panel advised incorporating colour-coded indicators for sugar levels using a three-colour format — red for high, yellow for medium, and green for low sugar content — along with appropriate warning labels for products high in sugar.