FSSAI to tighten alcohol label norms, standards

Changes aim to improve consumer awareness, align Indian standards with international norms

- Priyanka Sharma

India’s apex food safety regulator is preparing a major overhaul of alcohol standards—tightening quality norms, mandating clearer labels and stepping up consumer awareness—to promote responsible drinking, according to two officials and a document reviewed by Mint.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) plans stricter rules for brewers, distillers and wineries, including precise declarations of alcohol content and compulsory “standard” drink labelling, in a push to bring greater transparency to one of the world’s fastest-growing alcohol markets.