ndia’s government has indicated it is open to stricter red warning labels on packaged food, potentially expanding the products that would carry front-of-pack health warnings.

The development came during Supreme Court scrutiny of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) proposed front-of-pack labelling system. FSSAI had earlier proposed a phased approach under which warnings would initially apply to products high in two or more nutrients of concern, including sugar, salt and saturated fat. The regulator has now said it will consider warnings for products exceeding the threshold for even one such nutrient.

The Supreme Court has also questioned several aspects of the proposed system, including the size, colour, shape, placement and clarity of the warning labels. The court has sought a clear timeline for implementation and asked the regulator to explain the reasoning behind the proposed phased rollout.
The proposed system comes amid growing scrutiny of packaged foods and wider food-safety enforcement across India. The debate has also involved concerns from industry groups over how warning labels could affect food companies and consumers.

The Supreme Court has directed FSSAI to provide further details, with the matter scheduled for another hearing on September 28, 2026. The outcome could influence how prominently nutritional warnings appear on packaged food products across India.