The Supreme Court has reserved its verdict on the proposed Front-of-Pack Labelling (FoPL) system for packaged food products after hearing a compliance affidavit filed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

During the hearing, the Court questioned the food regulator over the delay in implementing the proposed labelling system, stressing that the issue concerns public health.

The judges asked FSSAI why it required so much time to implement the proposed system and questioned the need for further delay, observing that the Court was concerned as the matter involved a health issue.

The Court also directed FSSAI to ensure that there is a clear definition of Ultra-Processed Food (UPF). All parties have been asked to submit their written submissions within three days, following which the Court reserved its verdict.

The proposed FoPL system seeks to make key nutritional information more visible to consumers by placing warnings on the front of packaged food products.

At present, consumers primarily rely on the nutrition information provided on the back of food packets. Under FSSAI's proposal, certain packaged foods would carry a prominent warning on the front if they exceed prescribed levels of added sugar, salt or saturated fat.

The proposed warning would appear as a red hexagon inside a white square near the top-left portion of the front of the package. The nutrient crossing the prescribed threshold would be identified inside the warning.

If a product exceeds the prescribed threshold for two or more nutrients, the corresponding warnings would be displayed together.

Importantly, the proposed system would be based on the nutritional composition of a product rather than simply categorising it as highly processed.

For beverages, FSSAI has proposed displaying the relevant beverage category on the front of the package even when the product remains within the specified nutritional thresholds. If the beverage crosses the prescribed sugar or salt limits, the applicable warning would also be displayed.

The Supreme Court's final decision will determine the next course of action on the proposed front-of-pack warning system.