The Supreme Court on Thursday (September 10, 2026) said it is concerned about the health of people, especially growing children, and wants all concerned with food safety to consider in “national interest” the issue of front-of-pack warning labels for packaged products containing high salt, sugar and fat products.
“We are only concerned about the health of people, especially growing children. The Supreme Court said it has also done some homework on the issue and asked the parties to study the order to be uploaded and posted the matter for hearing on September 28. The affidavit was filed in compliance with the apex court’s August 13 order passed while hearing a plea of public charitable trust ‘3S and Our Health Society’.
We want all the concerned to consider the cause in national interest,” the Bench said, while indicating that the order will be uploaded in a day or two. During the brief hearing on the plea filed by a public charitable trust ‘3S and Our Health Society, the Bench told the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) that the contents on packaged food products are always there on the rear side of the packet but has the authority laid down any guidelines whether if the content exceeds this limit, then it’s high in sugar or salt or fat? Senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the FSSAI, said internationally there are two conditions required to be put on the rear side of the packet. Earlier, the FSSAI has told the Supreme Court that it has proposed to provide a prominent front-of-pack warning label in red colour for food products which are high in added saturated fat, sugar and salt. In a compliance affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, the FSSAI said the proposal is intended to provide a simple, prominent and easily comprehensible warning to consumers regarding food products which are high in specified nutrients of concern. The Court has said FOPL was necessary to create awareness, especially among growing children who are increasingly getting addicted to junk food.
