India's 'Big Food' fought back against chip packet and soda health warnings

A can of Fanta sold in London contains 63 calories, but the same brand in India holds three times that amount of sugar and includes artificial dye that requires a prominent health warning in Europe. In India, however, the colorant's presence is merely noted in small print on the back of the can, a situation favored by some of the world's largest food companies.

These consumer giants have long resisted Indian efforts to mandate nutritional warnings on the front of packaged products. India's food-safety regulator announced in August that it had abandoned its push for colorful warnings, stating that such labels do not account for the intense flavors of Indian cuisine. Instead, the regulator proposed that companies display a black-and-white table detailing sugar, fat, and salt content.

This decision is now under scrutiny by India's Supreme Court following a petition from public health activists. The case is significant given that an estimated 450 million Indians could be obese or overweight by 2050, according to a recent study in The Lancet. Experts emphasize that greater transparency in labeling can foster healthier eating habits, a move adopted by roughly 20 nations that use interpretive labels, such as highlighting high sugar levels in red.

Recordings reviewed by Reuters reveal that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India yielded after a tense March meeting with industry executives. These executives argued that warning labels were confusing and ineffective, and urged regulators to focus on promoting portion control. Coca-Cola India's senior executive, Mili Bhattacharya, stated at the meeting that it was "very simplistic" to believe a symbol or icon would significantly improve the diet of consumers who do not already read ingredient lists. She also argued that warning labels were pointless as they wouldn't prevent consumers from choosing sugary and salty foods, and unnecessary because Indian doctors already educated patients on food avoidance.

Interestingly, Coca-Cola and its affiliates voluntarily use traffic-light-style labels in some European markets, which the company's Swiss-based affiliate describes as providing "clear and transparent" information. Nestle, also a member of Indian industry lobbies that opposed the regulator's proposals, has voluntarily used interpretive labels in Britain since 2013. Both Coca-Cola and Nestle declined to comment for this report, which is based on audio recordings, corporate and government documents, and interviews with 11 industry executives and health experts.

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It is “very simplistic” to believe that a consumer who doesn’t already read ingredient lists “will be so informed by seeing a symbol or an icon on the label” that their diet significantly improves.