The Supreme Court has expressed concern over the health impacts of packaged foods high in salt, sugar and fat, urging all stakeholders to consider the issue in the national interest. The court, in a hearing on September 10, 2026, directed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to provide detailed information on front-of-pack warning labels, which it said could help consumers make healthier choices.

The Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran emphasized its focus on the health of people, particularly growing children, and indicated that a detailed order would be uploaded within a day or two. The court has also asked the parties to study the order and set the matter for hearing on September 28. During the hearing, the court questioned the FSSAI on whether it had laid down guidelines for identifying products high in sugar, salt or fat, with senior advocate Maninder Singh noting that internationally, such information must be shown per 100 grams and per serving.

Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, representing an intervenor, criticized the government for equating ultra-processed foods like 'Kurkure' snacks with nutritional items such as eggs and salted cashew. He suggested that ultra-processed foods should have a more prominent warning label, proposing that a color other than red be used for such items. The bench took his suggestion on record and stated it would pass an order on the matter.

The FSSAI had previously informed the court that it proposed to introduce a prominent red-colored hexagonal warning label for products high in added saturated fat, sugar and salt. The proposal, outlined in a compliance affidavit, aims to provide a simple and easily comprehensible warning to consumers. The label would indicate terms such as 'High Fat', 'High Sugar', 'High Salt' or 'Highly Sweetened Beverage' to help consumers identify products high in specific nutrients.

The court had previously directed the Centre to decide on the visual appearance of front-of-package labelling (FOPL), questioning whether India should remain an underdeveloped country. It rejected the Union government's stance that it was not possible to match international standards, particularly those of developed countries. The court emphasized that FOPL was necessary to raise awareness, especially among children who are increasingly consuming junk food.

The court also criticized the FSSAI for the delay in introducing warning labels, noting that obesity has been recognized as a public health challenge in India. It instructed the Union of India to consult experts and arrive at a decision on the visual appearance of FOPL, giving the government two weeks to place the final decision on record. The FSSAI affidavit later stated that the implementation of front-of-pack nutrition labelling would be done in phases to allow for consumer acceptance and industry reformulation.

The details on the exact implementation phases, including the criteria for phase II, remain unclear.