Supreme Court to FSSAI: Consider Warning Labels For Packaged Food With Excessive Sugar, Unhealthy Fats

The Supreme Court has asked Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to consider introducing mandatory front-of-package warning labels (FOPL) on packaged food products high in sugar, sodium and saturated fat.

A Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan observed that such regulatory measures are essential to safeguard citizens’ right to health.

In April last year, court had directed the Expert Committee constituted by the FSSAI to prepare its recommendation and submit a Report within 3 months.

On 30th January 2026, a compliance affidavit affirmed by Dr. Kavitha Ramasamy, Joint Director, FSSAI was filed before the Supreme Court. FSSAI told the court by way of a compliance affidavit that it intends to conduct further research and undertake a systematic mapping of a representative sample of different varieties of packaged foods across both solid and liquid categories. It further intends to conduct surveys among consumers to assess the extent of usage of label information; conduct periodic review of the FoPNL trends globally and ensure wider stakeholder consultation with the industry; small, medium and micro enterprises.

"Prima-facie, we are of the view that whatever exercise has been undertaken so far has not yielded any positive or good result. The PIL was filed with a particular purpose. It raised an important issue as regards the right to health of the citizens of this country. Today, what has been suggested by the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner also makes some sense and we want the authority to take this aspect into consideration. The suggestion is that on the wrapper/packet of any pre-packaged food product, there must be warning in the form of front of-package labelling", the bench noted.

Court accordingly directed the food regulator to place on record, within four weeks, its response examining the proposal to introduce labelling norms.

By way of the plea, the petitioner, 3S AND OUR HEALTH SOCIETY, had drawn attention of the Court on the alarming rise in the spread of diabetes and associated diseases in our country. "Diabetes has emerged as a silent epidemic in India, affecting millions of individuals and posing a significant burden on our healthcare system....Shockingly, 1 in 4 individuals in the country is grappling with diabetes, predominantly attributed to obesity", the PIL stated.

On the increased consumption of junk foods, it submitted that pervasive marketing of these unhealthy products exacerbates the situation, leading to weight gain and elevated intake of sugars, salt, and saturated fat. Highlighting the potential benefits of implementing Front of Package Labelling (FOPL) with warning labels as proposed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the plea stated, "Front of Package Labelling serves as a powerful tool in empowering consumers to make informed choices about their diet and reducing the adverse impact of commercial interests of big corporates. It enables citizens to easily identify and understand the nutritional content and harmful ingredients present in packaged food and beverages, thereby making healthier choices....".

Court was further told that the implementation of FOPL with warning labels would not only help tackle the rise in cases of diabetes and associated diseases but also address other non-communicable diseases, including obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular conditions.

Case Title: 3S and Our Health Society vs. Union of India & Ors.

Bench: Justices Pardiwala and Vishwanathan

Hearing Date: February 10, 2026