Indian food industry urged to make 'truthful, honest declarations' on packaging labels

New Delhi, Aug 13 (IANS) The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), on Wednesday, urged the food manufacturing industry to make "truthful and honest declarations" on food labels and packages.

At the National Stakeholder Consultation on ‘Comprehensive analysis of Regulatory Framework on Food Labelling, Advertisement and Claims', held at the Vigyan Bhawan, here, the FSSAI underlined the collective responsibility to ensure that the information on food packages are accurate, transparent, and truthful, enabling consumers to make informed, safe, and healthy choices with absolute confidence.

In her inaugural address, Health and Family Welfare Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava emphasised the importance of ethical and truthful practices in labelling and advertising in the food sector.

"Things are changing rapidly today. We are now exposed to the entire world, which means we must adopt many positive changes and best practices, while also scrutinising food products more closely. In this fast-moving world, consultations like this are vital," Srivastava added.

Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare urged the industry to "make truthful and honest declarations and voluntarily come out and say what the product contains and desist from misleading advertisements and manipulative practices".

"Food labelling should not just be a marketing tool, but it should also be treated as the most essential factor of trust between a manufacturer and a consumer. We want a truthful and honest declaration of whatever is contained in the food product, and the consumer should be left to make the final choice," she added.

The consultation brought together around 700 representatives from government departments, scientific experts, and food businesses, aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of existing regulations.

The experts also addressed implementation challenges and explored ways to align with global standards to strengthen consumer protection, foster public health.

The event formed part of an ongoing series of national-level stakeholder dialogues designed to address key regulatory issues requiring multi-stakeholder engagement.

By working closely with industry, academia, consumer groups, farmer organisations, and regulatory bodies, the FSSAI aims to integrate sector-specific perspectives and ground-level insights into its regulatory framework, ensuring that policies remain both practical and aligned with public health priorities.

--IANS

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