The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to take a final decision on how front-of-package labelling (FOPL) should appear on packaged food, stressing that consumers—especially children—need clear information about what they are buying.
A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran questioned the Centre’s position that India may not be able to follow international standards for such labels.
The court made the observation while hearing a petition filed by public charitable trust 3S and Our Health Society, which has sought stronger nutritional information on packaged food.
What did the Supreme Court say?
During the hearing, the court questioned the government’s position on adopting international practices.
Justice Pardiwala asked, “Should India remain an underdeveloped country? That’s the question we are putting forward for the Union to consider.”
The bench also said it did not agree with the Centre’s argument that matching standards followed by developed countries would not be possible.
Referring to countries such as Chile, Israel and Canada, the court said India should consider how warning information is presented on packaged food.
What is front-of-package labelling?
FOPL is information displayed prominently on the front of food packaging to help consumers quickly understand its nutritional content.
The Supreme Court said the system could potentially use colours, words, numbers, letters, symbols or percentages to indicate nutritional information.
The idea is to make labels easier to understand instead of requiring consumers to study complicated nutritional tables.
Why is the Supreme Court concerned about children?
The bench highlighted the increasing consumption of junk food among children and said clear food labelling could help families make better choices.
The court observed that people’s eating habits can be influenced by the environment around them, including the way food products are presented.
It said a standard labelling system could reduce confusion and help consumers make informed purchasing decisions.
The court also linked the issue to the constitutional right to health, referring to Article 21 and the state’s responsibility to improve public health under Article 47.
Court questions delay in warning labels
The bench also expressed concern over the delay in introducing stronger warning information on packaged food.
The court noted that obesity has become a public health challenge in India and said the government should consult experts before finalising the design and format of FOPL.
The Centre has been given two weeks to place its final decision before the Supreme Court.
What happens next?
The Supreme Court has indicated that if the government does not take a decision, it may consider issuing further directions.
The case will next be heard on September 10.
The petitioners have argued that clear front-of-package information could help consumers identify products containing high levels of sugar, salt and saturated fats, which are associated with several non-communicable diseases.
