“Why is FSSAI afraid of warning labels on food?”, FirstPost, Aug 07, 2026.
“India is staring at an epidemic of chronic lifestyle diseases like obesity, diabetes, hypertension and fatty liver — a large part of which comes from food choices. Indians surely need to make healthier food choices. The Indian food regulator, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has proposed amending food labels to help consumers better understand the nutritional value of the products they are consuming and make better decisions.
The FSSAI has proposed that numerical nutrition information regarding sugar, salt and saturated fat content be displayed on food labels in a relatively bigger font size on the front of packaged food.
At first glance, this appears reasonable. However, in reality, this exercise will remain on paper rather than helping consumers. There is a fundamental difference between ‘providing information’ and ‘communicating risk’.
Buyer Psychology and Behaviour
A consumer buying groceries in a supermarket aisle or on an online platform barely spends five seconds making a decision. Food companies understand behavioural psychology better than anyone else. Packaging is meticulously designed to influence purchasing decisions. Colours, mascots, health claims, fonts and imagery are all crafted to attract attention, build positive associations and create impulse purchases…………..”
Read the full article at FirstPost.
