What’s really inside the food packet you buy—and how much of that information is actually visible to you?
In this video, Sucheta Dalal examines the ongoing battle over front-of-pack warning labels for foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fats, and asks a fundamental question: Do consumers have a right to know what they are buying before they buy it?
The issue is now before the Supreme Court, after concerns were raised over the slow progress of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in introducing effective front-of-pack labelling.
The debate goes beyond nutrition labels. It is about whether consumers should have to decipher tiny-print ingredient lists, calculate serving sizes and percentages, or rely on health claims and marketing messages to understand what is really in a product.
From malt drinks and fruit juices to flavoured yoghurt, namkeen, muesli and granola, this video looks at how seemingly healthy products can contain significant amounts of added sugar or sodium.
The audio also explores evidence from a Mumbai study involving adolescents, which found that explicit red warning labels were more effective at helping participants identify healthier food choices than Health Star Ratings or NutriScore.
With rising concerns around obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and ultra-processed foods, the question is becoming increasingly urgent:
When a packet is designed to sell, who ensures that the truth is equally visible?
Watch, share and join the conversation on consumer rights, food safety and public health.
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