Supreme Court questions FSSAI over delay in food warning labels

The Supreme Court of India has questioned the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regarding its hesitation to implement front-of-pack warning labels on packaged foods high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat. During a hearing, a Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan expressed concern that the regulator might be succumbing to pressure from food manufacturing corporations, stating, “There is immense pressure at the end of all these corporate houses on you. And you are succumbing to that pressure! We are doing this in public interest.”

The Court noted that the issue is centered on consumer awareness rather than targeting specific products. While FSSAI reported that an expert committee has deliberated on the Indian Nutrition Rating (INR) system and received over 14,000 stakeholder comments, no consensus has yet been reached.

In a separate development, FSSAI has expanded its legal panel by onboarding four additional law firms—SS Rana & Co, Singh & Associates, Suri & Co, and GP Law Chambers—bringing its total to eight firms. This expansion aims to manage over 800 cases nationwide as the regulator intensifies enforcement actions, including inspections of restaurants, warehouses, and manufacturing units, and handles litigation related to food safety, hygiene, and labeling violations.