The Supreme Court reprimanded the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India on Thursday over lack of progress in implementing mandatory front-of-package warning labels on packaged foods, questioning whether the government prioritizes the health of its citizens.
Hearing a public interest litigation filed by 3S and Our Health Society, a public charitable trust, a bench consisting of Justices J B Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran expressed strong dissatisfaction with the regulatory delay. The petition urges the court to issue directives to the central government, states, and Union territories to enforce front-of-package warning labels across all packaged food items.
During the hearing, the court highlighted that warning labels are essential to build consumer awareness, particularly for growing children who are increasingly addicted to junk food. Addressing Additional Solicitor General Brijender Chahar, Justice Pardiwala questioned the authority on why court instructions regarding food labelling had not been carried out and asked if the regulator was taking the court lightly.
Public Interest and Regulatory Delays
Emphasizing that its directives are issued strictly in the public interest, the bench inquired whether the government would implement the labelling guidelines on its own or if a formal judicial order would be required. The court further remarked that it was aware of the external pressures operating on the food safety authority.
Rising Health Burden and Disease Statistics
The underlying petition draws attention to India’s escalating crisis of non-communicable diseases, arguing that clear front-of-package labels are necessary to warn buyers about dangerous concentrations of sugar, salt, and saturated fats. The plea points out that high consumption of these ingredients drives severe health conditions, including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and several types of cancer.
According to figures cited in the filing, non-communicable diseases are now responsible for more than six million deaths in India every year. The petition also noted that diabetes has become a silent epidemic across the nation, currently affecting nearly one in four Indians.
