A can of Fanta sold in London has 63 calories. Buy the same brand in India, and it contains three times as much sugar. It also includes artificial dye, whose presence in food products in Europe requires a prominent health warning.
India’s Supreme Court is scrutinizing that decision after a petition by public health activists. Experts say more transparency in labeling can forge healthier eating habits. As India grows more affluent, middle-class consumers have also become more conscious of their health.
At stake are the waistlines of the 450 million Indians who could be obese or overweight by 2050, according to a recent study published in the journal Lancet. At their urging, roughly 20 nations have adopted interpretive labels — which may include highlighting high sugar levels in red and low fat content in green — on the front of packaged foods. Monthly sales of weight-loss drugs that reduce appetites have grown 400% since early 2025, according to market-research firm Pharmarack.
Because they would not prevent consumers from otherwise having sugary and salty foods, she added that warning labels were pointless. Because indian doctors had done a good job teaching their patients what food should be avoided, and they were unnecessary.
