Key Details
The Committee recommends strengthening India's food information framework through clearer sugar disclosure, stronger enforcement, scientific oversight and improved institutional coordination.
Area | Committee Findings & Recommendations |
|---|---|
Front-of-pack labelling | Introduce mandatory sugar-level classification using WHO and ICMR thresholds to help consumers identify products high in sugar at a glance. |
Sugar disclosure | Standardise disclosure of total and added sugar across all packaged food categories rather than applying different requirements to different products. |
Foods for children | Mandate prominent front-of-pack disclosure of added sugar (grams per serving) and its percentage contribution to recommended daily energy intake. |
Enforcement | Increase inspections of infant and children's foods, strengthen penalties and publish compliance statistics separately. |
Scientific claims | Require independent validation of sugar-related health and nutrition claims, with certifications placed in the public domain. |
Product oversight | Introduce periodic post-approval verification of product formulations, particularly after reformulation. |
Laboratory capacity | Expand food testing infrastructure and publish state-wise laboratory turnaround times. |
Digital monitoring | Develop coordinated monitoring of e-commerce platforms to address misleading nutritional claims and mislabelling. |
Institutional coordination | Establish structured coordination between FSSAI and the Department of Consumer Affairs on labelling, packaging and enforcement. |
The Committee Reframes Sugar Regulation as a Consumer Information Issue
The Fifteenth Report of the Standing Committee on Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution argues that regulating sugar in packaged foods requires more than prescribing permissible limits. It recommends strengthening consumer information, regulatory enforcement and institutional coordination so that consumers can better understand and compare the sugar content of packaged foods, particularly those marketed to infants and children.
Front-of-Pack Labelling Moves to the Centre of the Debate
The Committee recommends introducing mandatory front-of-pack sugar classification based on WHO and ICMR thresholds and standardising disclosure of both total and added sugar across packaged food categories. For foods intended for infants and children, it proposes prominent disclosure of added sugar in grams per serving together with its contribution to recommended daily energy intake, making nutritional information easier to interpret at the point of purchase.
The Report Links Transparency with Stronger Enforcement
The Committee notes that although food safety authorities conducted more than 4 lakh inspections during 2024–25, only around 1,100 related specifically to infant foods. It therefore recommends prioritising inspections of foods for infants and children, expanding laboratory capacity, introducing periodic verification of product formulations, publishing enforcement data separately and strengthening coordination between FSSAI and the Department of Consumer Affairs, including oversight of digital marketplaces.
What Is Front-of-Pack Labelling (FoPL)?
Front-of-Pack Labelling (FoPL) places simplified nutritional information on the front of packaged foods to help consumers quickly identify products high in nutrients of concern such as added sugar, saturated fat and sodium. Many countries use colour coding, warning symbols or interpretive labels that enable consumers to compare products without interpreting detailed nutrition tables.
Policy Relevance
Consumer Information: The recommendations shift food regulation towards enabling consumers to make quicker and better-informed purchasing decisions through clearer nutrition labelling.
Child Nutrition: Stronger disclosure and inspection requirements recognise infants and children as priority groups for food safety and nutrition policy.
Regulatory Enforcement: Separate reporting of inspections, improved laboratory capacity and periodic product verification could strengthen compliance and regulatory accountability.
Food Industry Reformulation: More visible sugar disclosure may encourage manufacturers to reduce added sugar in packaged foods to remain competitive.
Digital Food Governance: Coordinated monitoring of online marketplaces reflects the growing importance of regulating nutritional claims across digital retail channels.
Institutional Coordination: Closer collaboration between FSSAI and the Department of Consumer Affairscould reduce fragmentation in food labelling, packaging and consumer protection.
Follow the Full Report Here: Fifteenth Report of the Standing Committee on Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (2025–26)