Big food pushback hits India’s food label plans

India’s push for prominent warning labels on packaged food has faced resistance from major food and beverage companies, according to a Reuters review of meeting recordings, government and corporate documents and interviews.

A can of Fanta sold in London has 63 calories. The same brand in India contains three times as much sugar and also includes artificial dye. In Europe, the colorant requires a prominent health warning, while in India it is listed in small print on the back of the can.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said in August that it had abandoned plans for colorful front-of-pack warnings, arguing that such labels did not account for India’s more intense flavors. It instead proposed a black-and-white table showing sugar, fat and salt content.

The Supreme Court is scrutinizing the decision following a petition by public health activists. A recent Lancet study estimates that 450 million Indians could be obese or overweight by 2050.

At a March 19 meeting with regulators, Coca-Cola India executive Mili Bhattacharya called it “very simplistic” to believe consumers would significantly change their diets after seeing “a symbol or an icon on the label.” She also argued that warning labels would not stop people from consuming sugary and salty foods.

Coca-Cola and its bottling partners, however, have voluntarily introduced traffic-light-style labels in some two dozen European markets. Coca-Cola HBC says they provide “clear and transparent” information.

Nestle, which opposed earlier Indian proposals through industry lobbies, has voluntarily used interpretive labels in Britain since 2013. Both companies declined to comment.

Health policy expert Simone Pettigrew said the industry is incentivized “to hold out for as long as possible, not informing the Indian public about the healthiness of the foods that they’re selling.” She said lobbying had “almost paralyzed” regulators.

The Supreme Court had earlier urged regulators to consider Israel’s red-and-green labeling system. In August, judges rebuked the FSSAI, saying “the world should know that India is very much concerned about the overall health of its citizens.”

The debate comes as Indian consumers become more health-conscious, with monthly sales of appetite-reducing weight-loss drugs up 400% since early 2025, according to Pharmarack.

(With inputs from Reuters)