Food literacy & food labeling laws—a legal analysis of India’s food policy

Aggressively marketed, cheaper and more easily available pre-packaged foods, often considered as foods high in fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS) is finding a growing preference amongst consumers in India. These HFSS foods are the major causes of heart and other non-communicable diseases worldwide. To prevent or control further widespread of NCDs, Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued numerous food and packaging laws and acts to control their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import so that a safe and wholesome food is available to the consumers. The Front-of-pack labeling (FOPL), proposed by FSSAI in 2019, is a key strategy to alert and educate consumers in making an informed choice. This article aims to enlist and describe various food and labeling laws and acts enacted in India since the last two decades and identify that what type of label would be best suited to India.