Regulating Ultra-Processed Foods - The Need for Stronger Policies

Context:

• PM Modi has called for tackling obesity and the 2025 Economic Survey recommends imposing a ‘health tax’ on ultra-processed foods (UPFs) to reduce consumption.
• India faces a growing obesity crisis. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHA)-5, one in four adults is obese and one in four adults is diabetic or pre-diabetic.

Issues in Food Labelling and Advertising

• Regulatory challenges:
  • The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has failed to implement strong food labelling and advertising regulations since 2017.
  • Current regulations are ambiguous, subjective, and industry-friendly. No front-of-pack warning labels exist despite growing health risks.
• The flawed Indian Nutrition Rating (INR) system:
  • Proposed in September 2022 by FSSAI, modeled after Australia’s failed ‘health star’ system, it assigns 1 to 5 stars to packaged foods based on nutritional content.
• Criticism:
  • Misleading consumers by creating a false ‘health halo’ around unhealthy foods.
  • To support the rating system, the FSSAI cited a study from IIM Ahmedabad, which it never critically examined.
  • Food industry representatives dominated key stakeholder meetings and members of the scientific panel were sidelined.
  • The FSSAI ignored its own 2021 draft regulations indicating ‘traffic light’ colour-coded and mandatory warning labels and instead bowed down to industry lobbying.
  • Example of misclassification:
    • Soft drinks with high sugar content may get 2 stars instead of a warning label.
    • Cornflakes (high in sugar and sodium) get 3 stars, misleading consumers.
• Ineffective advertising regulations:
  • India has four laws regulating advertising of HFSS (High Fat, Salt, Sugar) foods, but none are effective.
  • Consumer Protection Act, 2019: Defines misleading advertisements but does not mandate nutritional disclosure.
  • National Multisectoral Action Plan (2017): Recommended stricter HFSS advertising rules, but no action was taken.
  • Loophole: Advertisements do not disclose sugar/salt/fat content, allowing brands to target children.

Global Best Practices and Recommendations:

• Chile’s ‘High In’ Warning Labels: Reduced UPF consumption by 24%.
• World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines recommend clear front-of-pack warning labels.

The Way Forward:

• Implement front-of-pack warning labels: Scrap the INR system and replace it with mandatory ‘High in Sugar/Salt/Fat’ warnings.
• Define and regulate UPFs and HFSS foods: Establish clear sugar/salt/fat limits based on WHO and Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN)
• Strengthen advertising regulations: Amend existing laws or introduce a comprehensive advertising ban on HFSS/UPFs. Harmonize regulations across multiple laws for consistency.
• Public awareness campaigns: Launch a national campaign in multiple languages to educate people on the health risks of UPFs.

Conclusion:

• Obesity in India is a policy failure, not a public failure.
• Weak and subjective labelling and advertising laws have let junk food giants enjoy the freedom to make profits at the expense of public health.
• The Economic Survey provides a roadmap, but urgent regulatory action is needed.
• PM Modi’s vision of a healthy India requires decisive steps, not industry-influenced policies.

Q1. What are the key recommendations of the 2025 Economic Survey to tackle obesity in India?

Ans. It recommends imposing a ‘health tax’ on ultra-processed foods (UPFs), implementing front-of-pack warning labels, and strengthening advertising regulations.

Q2. Why is the Indian Nutrition Rating (INR) system criticized, and what alternative approach is suggested?

Ans. The INR system misleads consumers by assigning health stars to unhealthy foods, whereas the recommended approach is to adopt mandatory ‘high in’ warning labels based on WHO or ICMR-NIN guidelines.

Q3. How do existing food advertising regulations in India fail to curb misleading promotions of HFSS (High Fat, Salt, Sugar) foods?

Ans. Existing laws, including the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, do not mandate nutritional disclosures in advertisements.

Q4. What lessons can India learn from global best practices in regulating ultra-processed foods?

Ans. India can adopt Chile’s ‘High In’ warning labels, which reduced UPF consumption by 24%.

Q5. What policy measures are needed to effectively regulate HFSS foods and UPFs in India?

Ans. India needs to scrap the INR system, set clear nutritional thresholds, enforce advertising restrictions, and launch public awareness campaigns. 

Source:TH