Nestle supports front-of-pack labels for foods high in sugar, salt, and fat, but wants manufacturers involved in shaping the rules.
New Delhi: Nestle has backed front-of-pack health labelling for packaged foods high in sugar, salt and fat, but says food manufacturers should have a role in shaping India’s front-of-pack labelling rules.
Nestle CEO Philipp Navratil said companies should be part of the regulatory discussion to ensure the labelling framework is based on scientific evidence.
In an interview with The Economic Times, Navratil said Nestle supports front-of-pack labelling but believes manufacturers should be consulted while the rules are being developed.
“It’s always good to have a voice from companies,” he said, adding that businesses could contribute to the debate to ensure the approach is “scientifically done.”
The comments come amid renewed debate over how India should warn consumers about packaged foods containing high levels of sugar, salt and fat.
India’s front-of-pack labelling debate
India has been considering front-of-pack warning labels for several years.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had considered colour-coded interpretive labels to make high levels of sugar, salt and fat easier for consumers to identify.
However, the government dropped its earlier proposal in March following opposition from food companies and industry groups.
The issue has also reached the Supreme Court, where health activists have challenged delays in introducing prominent warning labels.
In February, the court asked regulators to consider warning systems used in other countries, including Israel’s red-and-green approach.
FSSAI later told the court that adopting international labelling standards was difficult and proposed a black-and-white nutritional table listing sugar, fat and salt content instead.
Why the labels matter
Industry estimates suggest that nearly 80% of products in India’s packaged food and beverage market, valued at more than $100 billion, could fall into the high-fat, high-sugar or high-salt category.
Health advocates argue that prominent front-of-pack warnings would allow consumers to identify products with high levels of these nutrients without having to interpret detailed nutritional information.
Nestle’s position is that companies should participate in determining how such information is presented.
The debate has become more contentious after a Reuters investigation found differences between certain food and beverage products sold in India and comparable products sold in markets such as Europe.
Different products, different markets
The Reuters report found differences in the formulation and nutritional profiles of several products.
For example, a can of Fanta sold in London reportedly contains 63 calories, while a similar-sized version sold in India contains about 185 calories.
Nestle’s standard KitKat sold in India contains 4.5% cocoa solids, compared with at least 22% cocoa in the milk chocolate version sold in Australia, according to the report.
Reuters also found that all Maggi instant noodle variants sold in India use palm oil, while several versions sold in Britain use sunflower oil.
Some Maggi products manufactured in India for the British market also carry front-of-pack warnings for high salt content.
Health groups challenge industry involvement.
Health advocates have criticised the industry’s position on India’s proposed labelling framework.
Dr Arun Gupta, convenor of Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest, argued that allowing companies greater influence could weaken public health measures.
He also pointed to the contrast between warning-label systems used in European markets and the resistance to similar measures in India.
The debate comes as Indian regulators face wider scrutiny over food and beverage marketing.
In July, FSSAI ordered PepsiCo and other companies to stop using the term “energy drink” within 90 days.
Meanwhile, a Lancet study cited by Reuters estimated that 450 million Indians could be overweight or obese by 2050.
The dispute over India’s front-of-pack labelling rules therefore goes beyond packaging. At its core is a larger question about how much influence food companies should have in deciding how consumers are warned about the products they buy.
Source: Outlook Business
