India must replace 'health stars' with warnings on HFSS food products

Prime Minister's clarion call to reduce sugar intake by school children is very timely.

- DR ARUN GUPTA

He emphasised that to reduce intake you need to know how much you are eating.

We are talking about pre-packaged food products, high in sugar, salt or fats (HFSS).

Health Stars might look pretty, but they mislead. In Australia, where stars have been used for over a decade, evidence shows little to no reduction in sugar or fat content in the food supply. Chile, in contrast, saw a 24% drop in sugary drink purchases within two years of implementing warning labels. This is why India needs true labels on the front of the pre-packaged food or drink products.

After more than a decade of deliberation and over 30 months of delay on a final draft, India now stands at a decisive moment. The Hon'ble Supreme Court has directed the government to finalise amendments to the draft regulation on the Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling (FOPNL) within three months. This is a historic opportunity to empower consumers and protect public health.

At stake is how pre-packaged foods and beverages in India will be labelled. Will India undertake necessary amendments in the Food Safety and Standards (Labeling and Display) Amendment Regulations, 2022? Will the country adopt a Health Star Rating (HSR) system or implement clear, true-to-its-contents warning labels that alert consumers whether a food product is "High in Sugar," "High in Salt," or "High in Fat?"

This is not a debate about design. It is about truth, transparency, and the right to know.