Bold Labels on Food Packs to Warn of Health Risk Contents

The front-of-pack warning labels will flag high salt, sugar, and fat content instead of star-rating

- Priyanka Sharma

Confronting India's fast-rising epidemic of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and heart ailments, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is preparing to mandate bold front-of-pack warning labels (FOPL) on packaged foods, flagging high salt, sugar, and fat content, instead of the earlier star-rating plan, officials in the know of the development said.

The shift to this labeling system is a result of a Supreme Court directive from a public interest litigation. While the top court had not specified the label format, it had mandated the authority to act quickly to create a transparent labeling system to combat public health issues.

It was given a final three-month extension by the apex court in July 2025 to submit its report, which is currently being finalized.