Twenty-nine national organisations have urged the government to scrap the Indian Nutrition Rating, or ‘health star’ system, and introduce clear front-of-pack warning labels on foods high in fat, sugar, or salt, citing overwhelming scientific evidence and growing public health concerns.
Published Aug 13, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Aug 13, 2025 | 7:00 AM
Representational picture of the Chile way of labeling on it's food products. The warning labels indicate if the food has high Sodium, Saturated fats, Total sugars. (Wikimedia Commons)
Synopsis: Twenty-nine leading Indian organisations have urged the government to replace the Health Star Rating with bold warning labels (WLs) on foods high in fat, sugar, and salt. Citing strong Indian and global evidence, experts argue WLs are the most effective front-of-pack labelling to reduce unhealthy food consumption and tackle India’s growing non-communicable disease crisis. The statement urges urgent regulatory action.
Twenty-nine leading organisations from across India have demanded that the government introduce bold, front-of-pack warning labels (WLs) on foods high in fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS), replacing the current “Health Star Rating” system.
They argue that overwhelming scientific evidence — both global and Indian — shows such warnings work better in reducing the consumption of unhealthy food and drink. “A consensus statement on Front-of-Pack Nutrition Warning the High Fat, Sugar & Salt Food/Drink products in India” was released on Tuesday, 12 August.
“Scientific evidence… favours warning labels on the HFSS/unhealthy pre-packaged food products,” the statement reads, adding, “Health Stars may not help achieve the intended objectives of reducing the consumption of HFSS foods.”
“Accurate, transparent, and evidence-based information on food products is essential to empower consumers, prevent misleading practices, and promote healthier diets,” says FSSAI amid the ongoing discussions on front-of-pack labelling (FOPL).
Dr Arun Gupta, speaking to South First said, “In response, we present Indian and global scientific evidence demonstrating that warning labels—which clearly disclose high levels of sugar, salt, or fat—are the most effective among all label types in reducing the consumption of unhealthy food products.”
“This recommendation is further supported by India’s Economic Survey. Following the Supreme Court’s directive to complete the process within three months, FSSAI has reopened the consultation to collect additional comments for the Expert Committee. In this light, it would be appropriate to consider this submission as part of the additional comments for the Expert Committee’s review,” he added.
NAPi, also reiterating its strong support for warning labels as the most appropriate front-of-pack labelling (FOPL) solution for India, noted, “Now that the government plans to share comments from food businesses with the expert committee and has sought additional time from the Supreme Court to review them, NAPi would also like to submit its inputs to the expert committee. ”
The statement further described India’s non-communicable disease (NCD) burden as “high and alarming,” with nearly 5.8 million deaths annually from conditions like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease — accounting for about 60 percent of all deaths in the country.
The consensus document cites the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (2016), which found that more than half of children and adolescents aged 5–19 already show biomarkers of NCDs. The recent Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) data shows 1 in 9 Indians has diabetes, 1 in 3 has hypertension, and 1 in 4 is obese.
The work led by NAPi and AG throughout the process, who were the primary authors, also warns that industrially processed and ultra-processed foods — regardless of nutrient content — are inherently harmful, with studies linking them to obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, renal decline, depression, and increased mortality.
Artificial sweeteners like aspartame and acesulfame-K, often found in such products, are linked to increased cancer risk.
The organisations point out that their recommendations are backed by national policy commitments, the latest Economic Survey, the Supreme Court’s directive for urgent regulatory action, and even the Prime Minister’s call to halt obesity in the country.
They say India’s rapidly growing NCD burden demands stronger measures, not softer labelling systems that risk confusing consumers. “The Supreme Court has already asked the government to finalise labelling rules within three months, noting that most packaged foods give no clear warning about harmful contents.”
The signatories argue that warning labels (WLs) serve as a public health measure rather than a marketing tactic. They highlight evidence from India indicating that WLs are the most effective form of front-of-pack nutrition labeling (FOPNL) for helping consumers recognize unhealthy food products.
An ICMR–NIN study found that even the presence of a single warning symbol, or the absence of stars, made consumers more cautious in their purchases. A large trial across six states in 2022 confirmed that WLs had the most significant impact compared to other label types.
International experience backs this up. Countries like Chile, Mexico, Israel, and Brazil have adopted WLs, with Chile recording a 24 percent drop in sugary drink sales after implementation. The statement emphasises that WLs only appear on products posing the greatest health risks, avoiding the “health halo” effect sometimes caused by star ratings.
The document criticises the current Indian Nutrition Rating (INR) — a “Health Star” system — for failing to clearly identify harmful products. It warns that positive nutrient claims should not offset excessive amounts of sugar, salt, or fat.
“FOPNL is not a marketing tool but a public health intervention,” the signatories stress.
The statement also flags misleading packaging, such as products labelled “Fresh fruit juice” or “Fresh tomato ketchup” that still contain high sugar or salt levels.
Trade agreements, like the India–UK Free Trade Agreement, could worsen the problem by increasing the availability of HFSS imports, it cautions.
The 29 organisations have outlined a set of policy recommendations:
The statement frames this as an urgent opportunity for the government to protect citizens’ health. “This is an unprecedented opportunity for the Government of India to act decisively and ensure Indian citizens have at least the same level of protection as those in the UK,” it concludes.
Experts behind the position paper are from several reputed organisations like Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest, Foundation for People-Centric Health Systems, Diabetes Ahmedabad India, 3S and Our Health, Kerala, Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture-Kisan Swaraj Network in Bengaluru, Association of Health and Disability, Consumer Voice, and many others.
The experts include Dr Arun Gupta, Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, Banshi Saboo, Mangla Gowri, Kavitha Kuruganti, Vittul K Gupta, Anil K Virmani, Yashwant Patil, Ashim Sanyal, George Cherian, Amrat Singh, Ushast Dhir, Vasundhara Raghavan, Vandana SHiva, Vishwambhar B Goswami, Arun Prasad, Ajay K Gaur, Lenin Raghuvanshi, Rupa Prasad, Anil K Bhall. Selvam, Vanisha Nambiar and Sanjay P Zodpey.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
