The Supreme Court on Thursday strongly reprimanded the Center and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) over the use of excess sugar, salt and saturated fat in packaged food. The court said that the Center should clear its position within 2 weeks on the issue of putting clear warning labels on the front of the package on packaged food items containing excess sugar, salt and saturated fat.
Justice J. B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran's bench made it clear during the hearing that if the government and FSSAI do not take necessary steps, the court itself can issue orders. The court emphasized that this issue is related to the health of citizens, especially children. During the hearing of the PIL, the petitioner told the court that the food industry was opposing the proposal to put warning labels on the front of the packages.
Instead, FSSAI has proposed listing the daily requirements for added sugar, saturated fat and salt in the form of a table on the package. The Supreme Court expressed displeasure over this stance. The court also questioned whether the food regulatory body was working under pressure from the corporate sector.
'If you can't do it, we will issue an order'
Additional Solicitor General Brijendra Chahar appeared on behalf of the Central Government. The court asked him what steps the government has taken so far on the previous instructions. The bench also asked whether the government itself would decide on this or the court would have to issue an order. Then the court clearly said, “If you cannot do this, we will issue an order.”
Issue of standards of developed countries
During the hearing, it was argued by the Central Government that the amount of sugar, salt and fat in food items varies considerably in developed countries. Therefore, it would not be right to directly apply the same standards to traditional Indian food. However, the court did not accept this argument. The court asked why it should be difficult for India to adopt international packaging and consumer-information standards used in developed countries?
What is the purpose of warning labels?
The Supreme Court made it clear that the purpose of warning labels is not to ban the sale of any food item. Its purpose is to provide consumers with clear and easy-to-understand information about what they are eating. The court said that warning labels can affect the business of manufacturers and hence they may not like this system. However, the final decision rests with the consumer—after seeing the warnings on the product, the consumer will decide whether to purchase the product or not.
Center instructed to clear its position within 2 weeks
The Supreme Court has asked the Center to clarify its position on the proposal related to warning labels in the next two weeks. After reviewing the government's position in the next hearing, the court can issue further orders if necessary. This decision has increased pressure on the Center and FSSAI on the issue of front-of-pack warning labels on packaged food items.
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