Noida, Sep 28 (APAC Media): Food industry groups have urged Indian authorities to reconsider the use of red warning labels on packaged foods, saying the colour could confuse consumers because red is already associated with the mandatory symbol used to identify non-vegetarian products.
The issue was raised before India’s Supreme Court on Monday during a hearing on proposed front-of-pack warning labels for foods high in sugar, salt and fat.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed prominent red warning symbols on packaged products that exceed prescribed nutritional limits.
The All-India Food Processors Association (AIFPA), representing Indian and multinational food companies, said the colour and design of the proposed warnings should be reconsidered.
“The average Indian consumer is habituated to associating the colour red with the mandatory non-vegetarian identification mark,†the association said in a filing before the court, according to Reuters.
The industry body said it supported the broader objective of providing consumers with nutritional information but raised concerns over the proposed thresholds and the method used to calculate them.
It argued that assessing nutritional content on the basis of 100 grams of a product may not accurately reflect typical consumption patterns, noting that products such as pickles, spreads and condiments are generally consumed in much smaller quantities.
The proposed labelling regime is part of India’s efforts to address concerns over unhealthy diets and increasing rates of overweight and obesity.
During Monday’s hearing, the Supreme Court questioned the need for further consultations on the proposed regulations after several years of deliberations.
“Why do you want to waste so much time when we are concerned about health issues?†Justice J.B. Pardiwala asked, according to Reuters.
The judge also questioned why another consultation process was necessary, saying, “What did you do in the last four years?â€
The court directed the authorities to take its concerns into account and said it expected them to comply with its order.
“We expect the authority to accept our order … do not disappoint us,†Pardiwala said.
The Supreme Court is expected to issue its final order on the matter, which could determine the next steps for India’s proposed front-of-pack nutritional warning system.
–ENDS–
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