Same Fanta, different rules: How India's sugar warnings got watered down

A can of Fanta sold in London contains 63 calories and no artificial dyes. The same Fanta in India has three times the sugar and includes artificial coloring, yet requires no prominent health warning. This disparity highlights a regulatory divergence that benefits global food and beverage giants operating in India.

“

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.

India's food-safety regulator announced in August that it would not mandate colorful, front-of-package warning labels on food products. Instead, it proposed companies display a black-and-white table detailing sugar, fat, and salt content. The regulator cited that such labels do not account for India's intensely flavored cuisine and suggested portion control as a more effective strategy.

This decision has drawn criticism from public health advocates, who have petitioned India's Supreme Court to review the regulator's stance. They argue that increased transparency in labeling is crucial for fostering healthier eating habits, especially as a recent study predicts up to 450 million Indians could be obese or overweight by 2050. Approximately 20 nations worldwide have adopted interpretive labels, often using color-coding to highlight high sugar or fat content.

“

Such labels were confusing and ineffective.

Reuters obtained recordings of a March meeting revealing that industry executives, including a senior Coca-Cola India executive, argued against the proposed warning labels. They contended that symbols or icons would not significantly inform consumers who already disregard ingredient lists and that warning labels would not deter people from consuming sugary or salty foods. Despite this, Coca-Cola and its affiliates voluntarily use similar traffic-light-style labels in about two dozen European markets, which the company describes as providing "clear and transparent" information. Nestle, also part of Indian industry lobbies opposing the proposals, uses interpretive labels in Britain.

“

clear and transparent