The Supreme Court on Monday reserved judgment on the implementation of front-of-pack warning labels (FOPL) for packaged foods high in sugar, salt, sodium and fats.
A Bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice K Vinod Chandran heard arguments on whether the labelling regime should be mandatory or voluntary, the implementation timeline, consultation process and nutritional thresholds.
The Court expressed concern over voluntary compliance and the extended implementation schedule, noting that urgent health risks warrant immediate regulatory action rather than delay.
The Court also considered the treatment of existing packaged-food stock, including a suggestion to affix warning stickers to products already manufactured.
Other issues before the Court included the absence of a clear definition of “ultra-processed food”, whether labels should distinguish between added and naturally occurring sugar, and the proposed per-serving criteria.
Senior Advocate Maninder Singh referred to international standards followed in the US, UK and Canada, while the Bench cautioned against relying solely on foreign standards.
The FSSAI recently informed the Court that FOPL would be implemented in a single phase. It proposed four months to finalise the draft regulations, followed by a 365-day voluntary implementation period for food businesses to avoid commercial hardship arising from existing packaging stock.
The PIL, filed by 3S and Our Health Society, seeks mandatory warning labels on packaged foods high in sugar, sodium and saturated fat, citing concerns over diabetes, obesity, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.
The Court directed parties to file final written submissions of up to three pages within three days and thereafter reserved judgment.
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