SC directs FSSAI to implement simple nutrition labels on packaged foods. Milind Deora backs move to help Indians make healthier choices.
New Delhi: Today, on July 15, the Supreme Court of India has given clear instructions to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to bring in front-of-pack nutrition labeling on packaged food items.
This decision aims to help people in India make healthier eating choices and control the growing issue of obesity in the country.
Milind Deora, a Member of Parliament from the Shiv Sena and the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Subordinate Legislation, shared the news through a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
In his post, he wrote:
“The Supreme Court has directed @fssaiindia to implement simple front-of-pack nutrition labels on packaged food. As Chair of Parliament’s Subordinate Legislation Committee, I’ve recommended studying Singapore’s clear A-to-D Nutri-Grade system.”
According to Deora, this decision is important to help the FSSAI move forward with its regulations without further delay. He believes it will give Indian people the power to make informed and healthier decisions about what they eat.
As he further said:
“This move will assist FSSAI to ‘comply without further delays & empower Indian consumers to make healthier choices reversing India’s rising #obesity crisis.'”
The Union Health Ministry has also taken some new steps to improve food habits in India. One such step includes the idea of putting up sugar and oil information boards in public places.
These boards will act like visual reminders or ‘nudges’ in schools, offices, and government buildings. They will help people understand how much hidden sugar and oil is in everyday food, and encourage them to reduce their intake.
In an interview with media on Monday, Milind Deora also commented on the need to regulate not just foreign junk food, but also popular Indian snacks that are high in fat and sugar.
He said:
“India should regulate unhealthy foods sold by multinational companies, along with Indian snacks such as jalebis and samosas to deal with rising obesity problems.”
He further welcomed stronger regulations on traditional Indian foods that may not be healthy when eaten in excess.
He stated:
“Placing greater stringent regulations on unhealthy foods like jalebi, like samosa – this is a welcome step.”
Deora emphasized that this issue is currently being studied by his parliamentary committee, which includes members from different political parties. The committee is working closely with the FSSAI, India’s national food safety regulator.
He said:
“As chairman of the Parliament Subordinate Legislation committee, which has members of parliament from all parties, we are at present examining this very issue. Along with the agency called the FSSAI which is the food regulator in our country.”
The initiative is part of a larger plan under the Union Health Ministry’s National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD). This programme aims to bring lasting changes in people’s behaviour, especially in workplaces and public spaces.
The main focus is to reduce the use of oil and sugar – two major causes behind rising cases of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other lifestyle-related diseases.
Case Title:
3S and Our Health Society v. Union of India & Ors., Writ Petition (Civil) No.437/2024
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