Health experts cry foul as food industry targets India’s ripe market

India’s packaged and processed foods will soon have a health star rating (HSR) displayed on the front of packaging after the scheme was approved by the country’s food safety regulator.

The front of pack labelling (FoPL) regulation, approved by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the central health ministry, will aim to start awarding stars a year from now, grading processed foods based on salt, sugar, and fat content, as well as other ingredients, to give an overall assessment of the product. Companies will then be asked to display the HSR on packaging voluntarily, though the policy is likely to state that ratings will become mandatory from 2027. Currently, packaged food companies are only mandated to display back-of-pack nutritional information.

But India’s health and nutrition experts and consumer advocacy groups are collectively opposing the move. Over 22 organisations—including the Public Health Foundation of India, the Indian Academy of Paediatrics, and the Centre for Science and Environment—said in a position statement that what India needs to fight a growing epidemic of lifestyle diseases is mandatory warning labels on ultra-processed, packaged food. A system such as HSR will create a “health halo” around unhealthy products and confuse and mislead consumers, they said. As part of …